Department for Transport

Railways: Industrial Disputes

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of contracts with train operating companies have contained clauses which allow those companies to claim back any revenue lost as a result of industrial action in each of the last six years.

Paul Maynard: All the Department’s franchise agreements provide that the Secretary of State has discretion to reimburse or ameliorate net losses of the rail operator arising from industrial action, where he is satisfied that the franchisee has taken all reasonable steps to mitigate its effects.

Offshore Industry: Infrastructure

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the amount of (a) dry and (b) wet towage of decommissioned oil and gas infrastructure that will use (i) Western and Northern Isles and (ii) Pentland Firth sea lanes in each year from 2017-18 to 2019-20.

Mr John Hayes: Arrangements for the towage of decommissioned oil and gas infrastructure, and the routes they may take, are commercial decisions and government does not collect data to allow for a meaningful forward estimate to be made. Those managing such operations will need to comply with national and international conventions and regulations applying to shipping and the decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure.

Merchant Shipping: Safety

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many employees of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency were qualified to inspect or survey internationally registered merchant vessels over 500 gross tonnage for compliance with international maritime safety regulations in each year from 2010-11 to 2015-16.

Mr John Hayes: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency does not conduct surveys on internationally registered merchant vessels. The UK, under the requirement of EU Directive 2009/16, undertakes port-State Control inspections on internationally registered vessels in UK waters. The number of qualified Port State Control (PSC) inspectors in each of the calendar years was as follows: YearPSC Inspectors2010892011103201291201392201485201559201666

Merchant Shipping: Inspections

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many inspections or surveys of internationally registered merchant vessels over 500 gross tonnes were conducted by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency  in each year from 2010-11 to 2015-16.

Mr John Hayes: Inspections of internationally registered merchant vessels are carried out on any vessel to which one or more international Conventions applies. It should be noted that some of the international conventions do, however, have lower limits than a gross tonnage of 500, and some have different criteria than tonnage. The number of inspections are recorded on calendar year basis and the following table shows the number of inspections carried out in the years 2010‑2016: YearInspections201018322011160420121543201315402014145620151123

Merchant Shipping: Conditions of Employment

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what training Maritime and Coastguard Agency staff receive on the enforcement of the Maritime Labour Convention on internationally registered merchant vessels working from (a) UK and (b) Red Ensign Group ports.

Mr John Hayes: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has provided in-house training for 152 Marine Surveyors since 2010. This is provided by MCA experts on the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006 and its enforcement. Some Marine Surveyors have also attended international training courses on matters relating to the International Labour Organisation and the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control. All new Marine Surveyors are given training on the MLC, 2006 as part of their induction process. The MCA is not responsible for enforcement of the MLC, 2006 in Red Ensign Group ports.

Merchant Shipping: India

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's press release of 18 January 2017, Foreign flagged ships under detention in the UK during December 2016, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that seafarers on the Malaviya Seven (a) are paid the wages owed in full and (b) do not incur costs from repatriation.

Mr John Hayes: Officials from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have been in continued contact with both the company, GOL, which has employed the crew and the Indian Maritime Administration (DGS-Directorate General of Shipping), the flag‑State, to try to resolve the situation regarding both (a) outstanding wages being paid in full and (b) that seafarers do not incur cost of repatriation. The MCA understand that the DGS are also in contact with GOL. The MCA is putting as much pressure as they can to try and resolve the situation and get the wages paid. The only power available to the MCA is detaining the ship.

Merchant Shipping: Conditions of Employment

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's (MCA) press release of 18 January 2017, what the process is for ensuring the welfare of seafarers working on internationally registered merchant ships detained in UK ports by the MCA for breaches of international maritime regulations.

Mr John Hayes: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) will work with the ship’s owner and the flag-State to ensure the welfare of the crew when an internationally registered ship is detained in a UK port. The MCA also works closely with local welfare bodies, such as the Merchant Navy Welfare Board, the Mission to Seafarers and the Apostleship of the Sea, who also provide assistance to the seafarers.

Shipping: Registration

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to bring forward proposals to reform the UK Shipping Register.

Mr John Hayes: In response to the Maritime Growth Study the Government has been taking action to put the UK Ship Register on a more commercial footing. Progress to put in place appropriate resource and infrastructure to commercialise the UKSR is already being demonstrated. In January 2017 Michael Parker was appointed as the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA’s) first Non-Executive Chairman. In addition, Doug Barrow has also been appointed as the Director for the UK Ship Register and will take up the post in April 2017. Both these appointments will play a leading role in shaping the future transformation of the UKSR and championing the UK Flag. Simultaneously, the MCA is working on a number of reforms to improve the quality of its services as part of a wider commitment to generate growth in the maritime sector, encourage greater investment in the UK and promote the UK flag as a world-class register that attracts quality ship owners. The Department for Transport will continue to work closely with the MCA, in particular the new Non-Executive Chairman and new Director of the UKSR as it explores options for future reforms of the UK Ship register.

Tugboats: Safety

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has instructed the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to conduct a regulatory impact assessment on chartering a foreign-registered emergency towing vessel; and if he will make a statement.

Mr John Hayes: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is not required to produce a regulatory impact assessment as the requirement for an Emergency Towing Vessel is not mandated by UK regulation.

Vauxhall Motors

Stewart Malcolm McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with (a) Vauxhall and (b) auto trade representatives on whether used Vauxhall Zafira B models, subject to recall by Vauxhall for safety reasons, are on sale.

Andrew Jones: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is working with Vauxhall and other manufacturers and distributors to ensure that they meet their vehicle safety obligations as set out in the Code of Practice on Vehicle Safety Defects, the General Product Safety Regulations and associated legislation. It is the responsibility of manufacturers and distributors, including Vauxhall, to ensure that all vehicles placed on the market are safe. This includes second-hand vehicles subject to a safety recall. The DVSA and I have discussed this issue with Vauxhall.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Local Government: Motor Vehicles

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local government-owned vehicles have been found to be fitted with emissions defeat devices; and how many of those devices have been removed from such vehicles.

Mr Marcus Jones: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Property Development: Design

Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what support his Department provides to help develop and implement local authorities' design codes.

Gavin Barwell: The National Planning Policy Framework and supporting planning guidance asks local planning authorities to consider using design codes where they could help deliver high quality outcomes. The Framework states that design policies should avoid unnecessary prescription or detail and should concentrate on guiding the overall scale, density, massing, height, landscape, layout, materials and access of new development in relation to neighbouring buildings and the local area more generally.In addition the Homes and Communities Agency has published a number of guidance documents around design and sustainability providing practical, delivery related knowledge, research findings and good practice.https://www.gov.uk/topic/housing/design-and-sustainability

Hate Crime: Internet

Nusrat Ghani: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the (a) European Commission on whether social media companies should remove illegal hate speech online within 24 hours and (b) German government on its proposals to fine social media companies for failing to remove such speech within 24 hours.

Mr Marcus Jones: Officials from the Department for Communities and Local Government sit on the Internet sub-group of the EU Commission's High-Level Hate Crime Group, which also includes civil society and industry representation. The Group oversees collaborative work including the agreed 'Code of Conduct on Countering Illegal Hate Speech Online':http://ec.europa.eu/justice/fundamental-rights/files/hate_speech_code_of_conduct_en.pdfThis includes agreement by industry to remove illegal hate speech online within 24 hours.This issue has also been discussed at the Ministerial meetings of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council. German officials and ministers have been involved in these discussions.

Hate Crime: Internet

Nusrat Ghani: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with EU officials on the implications for online hate crime regulation of the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Marcus Jones: The UK legislation on hate crime is not European legislation and the UK is not subject to the EU Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia. The Internet sub-group of the EU Commission's High Level Hate Crime Working Group has worked with industry to find collaborative solutions. Officials will continue to engage with the industry through this Working Group and other forums.

Communities and Local Government: Coventry

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many visits by (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department to Coventry there have been in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Local Government Finance

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the total available spend of each local authority was in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones: Holding answer received on 27 January 2017



The Local Government Finance Statistics compendium release publishes the total spend for local authorities in England over the last five years: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/539179/2905557_LGF_Accessible.pdfIndividual local authority revenue expenditure information is published for each financial year:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financingCapital expenditure information for individual local authorities is published for each financial year:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-capital-expenditure-receipts-and-financingThis does not represent all the potential funding available to local authorities over each year but rather funding they have received and used within a given financial year.

Housing: Construction

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2016 to Question 51987, whether he plans to review his Department's policy on borrowing caps on local authorities' housing revenue accounts.

Gavin Barwell: We will shortly be publishing a Housing White Paper, which will set out our thoughts about how we can help local authorities to build more homes.

Hate Crime

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues, (b) non-governmental organisations and (c) other stakeholders on enforcement of hate crime legislation following the UK's exit of the EU.

Mr Marcus Jones: Holding answer received on 27 January 2017



The Department for Communities and Local Government hosts the Cross-Government Hate Crime Programme which it co-chairs, alongside the Home Office. The programme brings together representatives from relevant Government departments, criminal justice agencies, and an Independent Advisory Group comprising victims, advocates and academics. Since reported increases in hate crime in the summer of 2016, the programme has held many meetings with affected communities and European states to reassure citizens that the UK will do all in its power to protect them from hate crimes. We have increased the capacity to monitor any future raised levels of tension and will respond swiftly to any emerging challenges. The Minister for Faith and Integration meets regularly with the National Police Chiefs' Council Lead for Hate Crime to monitor progress, and has also discussed these matters with Ministers in the Devolved Administrations.

Garden Communities

Luke Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether garden village proposals which do not meet the criteria in the report Locally-Led Garden Villages, Towns and Cities, published by his Department in March 2016, will not receive either formally or informally any aspect of the Government support package set out in paragraphs 31 to 44 of that document.

Gavin Barwell: We are keen that local areas continue to pursue their garden village ambitions. The Homes and Communites Agency has offered a conversation with local authorities whose garden village proposals were not selected to establish how they might be supported to progress their ambitions.We want local areas to be ambitious and want to encourage well developed locally led proposals that will provide high quality, transformational housing growth.

Lancashire County Council

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much Lancashire County Council received from central government in grants, excluding monies received from the local government finance settlements, in the last financial year.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Sick Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many senior civil servants in his Department were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month of each year since the Department's creation.

Margot James: In each of the months since the creation of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in July, the number of senior civil servants on leave of absence from work due to mental illness is being withheld as the number is less than five in each month.

Rain

Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the recorded total rainfall was in (a) Kent, (b) Essex, (c) Hertfordshire, (d) Hampshire, (e) Bedfordshire, (f) Surrey, (g) East Sussex, (h) West Sussex, (i) Wiltshire, (j) Dorset and (k) Buckinghamshire for the period 1 July to 31 December 2016; what the 10-year average is for each of those counties; and if he will make a statement.

Joseph Johnson: The information requested has been provided from the Met Office UK climate series and is contained in the following table. CountyTotal rainfall (mm) for the period 1 July to 31 December 201610-year mean (mm) for the period 1 July to 31 DecemberKent216.9389.6Essex182.2325.1Hertfordshire231.2361.3Hampshire283.8466.0Bedfordshire234.8330.0Surrey260.8407.9Sussex1268.0485.7Wiltshire308.5455.5Dorset350.8532.1Buckinghamshire237.4362.21 Regional statistics are not held for West and East Sussex, only for Sussex as a whole.

Low Pay Commission

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will introduce local low pay commissions.

Margot James: The Government is committed to delivering an economy that works for all by spreading wealth and prosperity more evenly across the country. Through the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, the Government is ensuring the lowest paid receive their fair share of the gains from economic growth. The independent work of the Low Pay Commission (LPC) continues to play a central role in helping to achieve these ambitions. The LPC will continue to make recommendations on wage related issues to ensure that wages rise to reward workers while considering the impact on the economy. The Government has no plans to introduce local low pay commissions.

Children: Poverty

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will hold discussions with business representatives on steps to reduce the additional costs on low income consumers as highlighted in the report published by End Child Poverty, Feeling the Pinch.

Margot James: The Government announced at the Autumn Statement that it will bring forward a green paper in Spring 2017 that will closely examine markets which are not working fairly for consumers.

Financial Services

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials have had with Black Rock since 13 July 2016; and if he will publish the minutes of those meetings.

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials have held with investment firm Fidelity since 13 July 2016; and if he will publish the minutes of those meetings.

Margot James: Records of all Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the Gov.uk website at the following link.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy&publication_type=transparency-data

British Business Bank

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many businesses in (a) Sheffield, (b) Yorkshire and (c) the UK received funding from the British Business Bank in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Margot James: Over the 12 months up to the end of September 2016 the British Business Bank supported £2.6bn of finance to approximately 24,900 smaller businesses across the UK. Of this amount £197m of funding was provided to 2,100 businesses based in Yorkshire and the Humber, with £11m of that going to 200 businesses in Sheffield.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Nigeria: Internally Displaced Persons

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Nigerian counterpart after the bombing of a displaced persons camp in Rann, North Eastern Nigeria.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: I would like to express my deepest condolences to all those affected by this terrible incident.Our High Commissioner to Abuja has raised this with our Nigerian partners. I welcome the news that the Nigerian Air Force has launched an investigation into the incident. A thorough and prompt investigation is vital to determine the causes and to ensure that lessons are learnt.It is of fundamental importance that all parties to a conflict adhere to international humanitarian law, including with respect to the protection of civilians during conflict.

Iran: Visas

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on further lifting of the restrictions on the number of visitor visas for Iranian nationals to visit the UK.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: UK Visas & Immigration offers a visa service from the Visa Application Centre in Tehran. This service is open to all categories of visa applicants. We continue to discuss migration issues with the Iranian authorities; most recently I discussed with the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister during my visit to Tehran on 18 January 2017.

Gambia: Politics and Government

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in the Gambia; and what recent representations he has made to his Gambian counterpart on the current state of emergency in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: I congratulate His Excellency, President Adama Barrow, on his inauguration as the new President of The Gambia on 19 January. It was extremely encouraging to see the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and the UN Security Council join together to put regional and international pressure on Jammeh to leave peacefully. ECOWAS efforts to mediate and to find a peaceful solution were critical. The UK has a long and historic relationship with The Gambia and I look forward to working closely with President Barrow's Government to further develop our already strong bilateral and economic links.

Gambia: Politics and Government

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Matthew Rycroft, Permanent representative of the UK to the UN on the political situation in the Gambia.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) received regular updates on the political situation in The Gambia as it developed, from our Ambassador in Banjul. He also received regular reporting on the UN response to the situation from the UK Mission in New York, led by Matthew Rycroft. The UK Mission played an active role in New York in ensuring the Security Council reacted appropriately and in a timely manner. The UN was an important part of international efforts, alongside regional efforts, to put pressure on former President Jammeh to step down and respect the will of the Gambian people. The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on 20 January to this effect

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Sick Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many senior civil servants in his Department were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month of each year since the Department's creation.

Sir Alan Duncan: The number of absences of this nature amongst our senior civil servants is low. We are unable to disclose figures broken down by category as it may be possible to identify individuals from the data.

Somalia: Public Relations

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2017 to Question 58596, how many contracts the Government placed with UK-based public relations companies between 2010 and 2015 that include work in or on Somalia; and with which companies those contracts were placed.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Following further consultations, I can confirm that no records have been found of contracts awarded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to UK-based public relations companies for work in or on Somalia between 2010 and 2015.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Staff

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many officials of his Department are working full-time on preparations for the UK leaving the EU; and what proportion of his Department's staff that number represents.

Sir Alan Duncan: Staff in the Europe Directorate within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) lead on providing advice to FCO Ministers on EU-related issues. Staff in other Directorates in London, as well as in our diplomatic missions around the world, can also work on EU-related issues. It is not therefore possible to give precise figures.

Russia: Football

Nusrat Ghani: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Russian counterpart on plans to provide safe access for football supporters at the 2018 World Cup in that country.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) and President Putin discussed security cooperation in the context of the 2018 Russia World Cup during their meeting at the G20 on 4 September.The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible for supporting British Nationals overseas and wil publish later this year Travel Advice for British supporters planning to attend the 2018 World Cup.The British Embassy in Moscow has had a number of detailed discussions with the Russian Government about the safety and security of British Nationals during the World Cup and has visited host cities. The UK Football Policing Unit is also working with Russian counterparts to help ensure the safety of travelling football supporters and plan to visit Russia to discuss this further.

Greece: Refugees

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic assistance the Government has given to Greece to help accommodate and care for refugees in that country; and what steps the (a) Government and (b) EU are taking to achieve resettlement for those people.

Sir Alan Duncan: The UK remains committed to supporting Greece with the implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement, which is helping reduce migrant flows across the Aegean. The UK has committed up to £34 million to support vulnerable refugees and migrants in Greece. At the end of 2016 the UK provided 40 case-workers over the winter to support Greece in handling refugees. This is in addition to the 75 staff we had already provided.The UK works with the Greek authorities to identify unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who may be eligible for resettlement in UK, here, and are working with Greece to identify unaccompanied refugee children. The EU currently also has a resettlement programme, which the UK is not part of.

Colombia: Homicide

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart on the targeting of members of the Patriotic March by paramilitaries.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart on the reported assassination of Hernán Agames on 19 January 2017.

Sir Alan Duncan: We are concerned by the increasing number of reported killings of civil society figures and activists in Colombia. Since the beginning of 2017, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received reports of at least ten murders where the victims appear to have been targeted for their role as human rights defenders, or because they are members of unions or political groups such as Marcha Patriotica, including Hernan Agames, Yanetin Calvache, Olmeido Pito Garcia, Aldemar Parra Garcia, Emilsen Manyoma, Joe Javier Rodallega and Juan de la Cruz Mosquera.The Prime Minister raised the issue of the levels of violence against human rights defenders with President Santos during the State Visit in November. Respect for human rights was also included in their joint declaration. I and Ministerial colleagues will continue to raise our human rights concerns with our Colombian counterparts.Working together to improve respect for human rights is a key part of our relationship with the Colombian Government and civil society. At a practical level, our Ambassador to Colombia is a member of the group "Ambassadors with Defenders" which promotes the work of human rights defenders and raises concerns about specific cases with the Colombian Government. The group will meet the Colombian Attorney-General to discuss the continued murders against human rights defenders, including those killed in recent weeks. On 19 January, British Embassy staff in Bogota met Colombian NGO Somos Defensores to discuss the recent murders. They also took part in a visit to South Bolivar, where local community leaders have voiced concerns about their security. As a result of this visit, the Office of the Presidential Advisor on Human rights committed to request the Colombian Ministry of Defence to provide additional security measures for community leaders.The Colombian Government recognises the threats faced by human rights defenders and acknowledges the challenges it faces in implementing the peace agreement with the FARC. In December, the Office of the Presidential Advisor for Human Rights (OHCHR) made a statement which linked an increase in incidents to areas vacated by the FARC. President Santos also gave a speech on 22 November in which he said he would work with Governors of affected areas and the Attorney General to accelerate investigations into murders of human rights defenders to find those responsible.

Colombia: Homicide

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Colombian counterpart on the frequency of killings in Colombia of members of the Patriotic March in the first two weeks of 2017; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Alan Duncan: We are concerned by the increasing number of reported killings of civil society figures and activists in Colombia. Since the beginning of 2017, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received reports of at least ten murders where the victims appear to have been targeted for their role as human rights defenders, or because they are members of unions or political groups such as Marcha Patriotica, including Hernan Agames, Yanetin Calvache, Olmeido Pito Garcia, Aldemar Parra Garcia, Emilsen Manyoma, Joe Javier Rodallega and Juan de la Cruz Mosquera.The Prime Minister raised the issue of the levels of violence against human rights defenders with President Santos during the State Visit in November. Respect for human rights was also included in their joint declaration. I and Ministerial colleagues will continue to raise our human rights concerns with our Colombian counterparts.Working together to improve respect for human rights is a key part of our relationship with the Colombian Government and civil society. At a practical level, our Ambassador to Colombia is a member of the group "Ambassadors with Defenders" which promotes the work of human rights defenders and raises concerns about specific cases with the Colombian Government. The group will meet the Colombian Attorney-General to discuss the continued murders against human rights defenders, including those killed in recent weeks. On 19 January, British Embassy staff in Bogota met Colombian NGO Somos Defensores to discuss the recent murders. They also took part in a visit to South Bolivar, where local community leaders have voiced concerns about their security. As a result of this visit, the Office of the Presidential Advisor on Human rights committed to request the Colombian Ministry of Defence to provide additional security measures for community leaders.The Colombian Government recognises the threats faced by human rights defenders and acknowledges the challenges it faces in implementing the peace agreement with the FARC. In December, the Office of the Presidential Advisor for Human Rights (OHCHR) made a statement which linked an increase in incidents to areas vacated by the FARC. President Santos also gave a speech on 22 November in which he said he would work with Governors of affected areas and the Attorney General to accelerate investigations into murders of human rights defenders to find those responsible.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Department for Exiting the European Union: Sick Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many senior civil servants in his Department were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month of each year since the Department's creation.

Mr Robin Walker: The Department for Exiting the European Union is committed to ensuring staff with mental health problems do not face any barriers to success. The Department has a dedicated senior equalities champion who sits on the Department's Executive Board and provides an insight for all protected characteristics as well as an equalities network. DExEU has recently run mental health first aid training to ensure that support is in place should staff experience mental illness. The Department is committed to the steps established in the 2016 Talent Action Plan to help the Civil Service become the most inclusive employer in the UK.Due to the small numbers of staff affected the Department is unable to release this information as disclosure would contravene one of the data protection principles. As part of the Transparency Agenda, the Department will publish quarterly statistics on sickness absence and these will be available on the department’s website.

British Constitution: Legal Costs

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how much his Department has spent on R (on the application of Miller and Dos Santos) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union in (a) the High Court and (b) the Supreme Court to date.

Mr David Jones: The figures for the total costs associated with the case will be published in due course.

Community Relations

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Home Office on promotion of tolerance and respect for all communities.

Mr David Jones: DCLG leads on integration and cohesion and is involved in many fora with communities affected by intolerant attitudes within in the UK. My department works with DCLG on a wide range of issues, including community cohesion. The Cross-Government Hate Crime Programme brings together officials, criminal justice agencies, victims and communities and has maintained oversight of hate crime during 2016 to ensure responses have been swift and effective.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Consultants

Christian Matheson: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate he has made of the number of employees of consultants retained by his Department who were working for the Department on 30 November 2016.

Mr David Jones: The Department is continuing to use the services of six external secondees from consulting firms that were working for the department on 30 November.

Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what the total cost to his Department was of the Article 50 case in the Supreme Court; and if he will publish to which standard departmental cost headings those costs have been allocated.

Mr David Jones: The figures for the total costs associated with the case will be published in due course.

Brexit: Legal Costs

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what the total cost to the Government was of the (a) High Court case and (b) Supreme Court appeal on Article 50.

Mr David Jones: The figures for the total costs associated with the case will be published in due course.

Brexit

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate he has made of the total cost to his Department of appealing the High Court decision in the case of R Miller and Dos Santos v the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union in the Supreme Court; and if he will make a statement.

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of pursuing the appeal to the Supreme Court in the case of R Miller and Dos Santos v the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.

Mr David Jones: The figures for the total costs associated with the case will be published in due course.

UK Trade with EU

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what the rule of origin requirements would be for UK companies if the UK leaves the customs union.

Mr David Jones: The Prime Minister has set out our intention to negotiate a new customs agreement with the EU. We have an open mind about the form of that agreement, but it is in both the UK and EU's interest to see tariff-free trade continue and for that cross-border trade to be as frictionless as possible. Whether or how preferential Rules of Origin will apply will depend on the outcome of negotiations; and we will be aiming to minimise the impact of any additional customs procedures on goods trade between the UK and EU.

UK Trade with EU

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate he has made of the potential cost to UK companies of (a) tariffs and (b) non-tariff barriers on exports if the UK leaves the customs union.

Mr David Jones: It is in both the UK and EU's interest to see tariff-free trade and for that cross-border trade to be as frictionless as possible. We will pursue a bold and ambitious trade agreement with the EU and also a new customs agreement. We have an open mind on the form of any customs agreement.The government is conducting a broad range of analysis at the macroeconomic and sectoral level to understand the impact of leaving the EU on all aspects of the UK. But we are not going to publish any assessment of the impacts of potential courses of action that could undermine the UK’s negotiating position.

British Nationals Abroad and EU Nationals

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the Prime Minister's speech at Lancaster House on 17 January 2017, which EU member states (a) favour and (b) oppose guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens who are already living in the UK and the rights of British nationals in other EU member states.

Mr David Jones: We are not going to provide a running commentary. The Prime Minister has been clear that she wants to guarantee the status of EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU as soon as possible.

Brexit

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, when he plans to publish the agreement for the UK to leave the EU.

Mr David Jones: The Prime Minister has confirmed that the Government will put the final deal that is agreed between the UK and the EU to a vote in both Houses of Parliament, before it comes into force.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Staff

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answers of 13 and 23 January 2017 to Questions 60283 and 58942, on Department for Exiting the European Union: Recruitment, if he will make it his Department's policy that by the end of March 2017 his Department will release aggregate data on the negotiating experience of its team negotiating on the UK exiting the EU.

Mr David Jones: The Department for Exiting the European Union will not comment on particular groups of staff. The Prime Minister has set out a comprehensive plan that includes all our core negotiating objectives. The Department undertakes regular resource reviews to ensure that we are appropriately resourced for the task at hand. We will ensure we have the right skills to get the best deal for the UK.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Staff

Christian Matheson: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many posts have been created in his Department; and how many of those posts were filled on 30 November 2016.

Mr David Jones: As at 30th November the department had over 300 staff. We are equipping ourselves with the resources we need to get the best deal for the UK. We are not in a position to give a final total as recruitment is ongoing.

Attorney General

Attorney General: Sick Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask the Attorney General, how many senior civil servants in the Law Officers' Departments were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month of each year since the Departments' creation.

Jeremy Wright: There were no members of the Senior Civil Service in the Attorney General’s Office, Serious Fraud Office, Crown Prosecution Service or Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate who had sickness absence due to mental health issues in the last 5 years. In the last 5 years, less than 5 members of the Senior Civil Service in the Government Legal Department had sickness absence due to mental health issues. The Law Officer’s Departments are committed to reducing work related absence due to mental illness and has a number of services in place to support members of staff suffering from such conditions. * Data has been drawn over the past full five financial years to provide an accurate historical response. To retrieve data from the creation of each department would represent a disproportionate cost.** Data is based on the WHO absence reason of 'Mental Disorder' which according to the WHO website covers the following; Anxiety, Stress, Affective Psychoses, Alcoholism, Depressive Disorder, Emotional Upset, Mental Disorder, Personality Disorder, Schizophrenia, Work Related Stress.

Attorney General: Staff

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Attorney General, how many officials of his Department are working full-time on preparations for the UK leaving the EU; and what proportion of his Department's staff that number represents.

Jeremy Wright: The Government Legal Department (GLD) has 35 officials in its Division advising the Department for Exiting the European Union. These officials are working on preparations for the UK to leave the EU and on legal issues arising from the existing EU relationship. GLD officials are also advising other Departments on preparations for the UK leaving the EU. It is not possible to give a precise figure for the number of officials working on this full-time across GLD as the number will fluctuate from time to time. GLD has 1980 members of staff (excluding those on career breaks and inward loans to GLD) and the Department for Exiting the European Union Legal Advisers Division represents 1.77% of that total.

Department for International Development

Developing Countries: Electricity

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the provision of reliable base-load electricity in delivering Sustainable Development Goals other than goal seven.

Rory Stewart: Energy poverty puts a brake on economic and social development and undermines the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Our policy is to support a range of generation technologies and distribution approaches (grid, off-grid, mini-grid), including base-load electricity when we can clearly add value. Reliable power from base-load electricity and other sources contributes to a number of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is crucial, for example, to controlling costs for businesses that might otherwise need to run expensive generators to maintain production (SDG 9). There is a knock on effect to employment, incomes and a range of associated social indicators. Reliable power is also crucial for running public services – such as water and sanitation systems or health clinics – effectively (SDGs 3 and 6) and can help increase school enrolment and attendance rates (SDG 4).

Developing Countries: Electricity

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of the relative costs of (a) coal, (b) gas, (c) oil, (d) nuclear, (e) offshore wind, (f) onshore wind, (g) large-scale hydro and (h) solar PV in the delivery of utility scale electrification in developing countries.

Rory Stewart: DFID is committed to supporting low-income countries to adopt climate-smart approaches to addressing their acute energy deficits. The relative costs of different technologies will depend on individual country contexts. Full life-cycle and environmental costs should be considered. In November 2015, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, with DFID support, published a study of costs of different technologies in 14 developing countries (‘Levelised Costs of Electricity’). Since this study was completed, there has been a rapid reduction in the costs of renewable technologies, especially solar.

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much of the £100 million pledged by her Department to the conflict in Yemen has been spent; and on what those monies have been spent.

Rory Stewart: The UK Government has committed £112 million to the crisis in Yemen for 2016/17, £104 million of which has been disbursed. This funding is providing vital humanitarian and development assistance in Yemen, such as food, clean water and emergency shelter, as well as supporting access to basic services and cash for work schemes.

Yemen: International Assistance

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her policy is on the humanitarian surge in Yemen proposed by the US Permanent Representative to the UN, Samantha Power, at the UN Security Council session on 31 October 2016.

Rory Stewart: Given the scale of humanitarian needs in Yemen, the UK Government agrees that a humanitarian surge is urgently required. In September 2016, the Secretary of State for International Development chaired a high level international event on Yemen. At the event, donors pledged over $100 million in new funding, and UN agencies made specific commitments to scale up their response, including by deploying more senior and experienced leaders and staff across the country.

Yemen: Refugees

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of her Department's spending in relation to the conflict in Yemen is dedicated to programmes for Yemeni refugees in Djibouti.

Rory Stewart: In 2015/16, DFID provided £250,000 to support Yemeni refugees in Djibouti. This funding helped to provide emergency supplies to 1000 refugees, such as blankets and clean water, and to support rescue at sea operations.Further, through UK-attributed funding to ECHO (EU Co-ordination of Humanitarian Aid Operations), we provided £56,000 in 2016 to support refugees and migrants in Djibouti with clean water and shelter.In 2015/16 the UK provided £90 million in funding for the crisis in Yemen which helped to provide over 1 million Yemenis with food, clean water and medical assistance.

Greece and Italy: Refugees

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps her Department has taken to assist child refugees in Italy and Greece.

Rory Stewart: Since October 2015 DFID has been supporting child refugees in Greece with assistance such as food, clean water and safe shelter, as well as access to protection and psychosocial care. For example, we have provided over 500 safe accommodation spaces for unaccompanied children since September 2016. In Italy, DFID has provided assistance to unaccompanied minors and supported the deployment of child protection experts.

Department for Education

Department for Education: Yorkshire and the Humber

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the value of (a) staffing expenditure, (b) other revenue costs and (c) capital expenditure by her Department and its arms-length bodies in whole or in part in Yorkshire and the Humber in 2016-17.

Caroline Dinenage: The department does not hold the information centrally in the form requested. Expenditure is not categorised by region and this could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Extended Schools

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much of the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived allocated to her Department in 2015 to support school breakfast clubs has (a) been spent and (b) not been spent.

Edward Timpson: The UK allocation from the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) was €3.94m for the 2014-20 period. In 2014, the Government indicated that because the UK allocation from the fund is deducted from our European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund allocations, it would minimise the adverse impact on those funds by taking the lowest possible allocation. In 2014, the Government announced that its FEAD allocation would be used to expand breakfast club provision in deprived areas in England. The Department for Education received interim funding of €433,912.60 in 2014 in advance of the scheme commencing. This is the only payment we have received.After we had publicly committed to the scheme in 2014, the European Commission began detailed discussions on the regulations which govern how the money can be spent. It has since become clear that our original vision for how to use this funding cannot comply with the European Commission’s eligibility requirements for the fund. We are therefore discussing with other government departments how we can best apply this money before 2020. The Government has delivered significantly higher funding for breakfast clubs than that envisaged by the FEAD. DfE ran a two year £1.1m programme which ended in March 2016 which saw breakfast clubs implemented in 184 schools with a high proportion of disadvantaged pupils. In the 2016 Budget, the Chancellor announced further funding of £10m a year to set up breakfast clubs in up to 1600 schools. The new scheme will commence from September 2017 and support schools and pupils most in need.

Schools: Finance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many meetings Ministers of her Department have had with representatives of the F40 group of local authorities on proposals for a new school funding formula since 2013.

Nick Gibb: The proposals for a new schools national funding formula, on which the Department is currently consulting, were formulated following careful consideration and discussions with a range of stakeholders across the country. As part of this, Ministers have met with representatives of the F40 group of local authorities on seven occasions since 2013.The consultation on the Government’s detailed proposals is open until 22 March, and the Department is keen to hear as many views as possible. The consultation can be found at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/funding-policy-unit/schools-national-funding-formula2/

Schools: Finance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many meetings Ministers of her Department have had with representatives of London local authorities on proposals for a new school funding formula since 2013.

Nick Gibb: The proposals for a new schools national funding formula, on which the Department is currently consulting, were formulated following careful consideration and discussions with a wide range of stakeholders across the country. As part of this, Ministers have met representatives of London local authorities on five occasions since 2013.The consultation on the Government’s detailed proposals is open until 22 March, and the Department is keen to hear as many views as possible. The consultation can be found at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/funding-policy-unit/schools-national-funding-formula2/

Department for Education: Sick Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many senior civil servants in her Department were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month of each year since the Department's creation.

Caroline Dinenage: For each month of each year from May 2010 to December 2016, there have been fewer than five senior civil servants in the Department on leave of absence from work due to mental illness.

Priority School Building Programme

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is being provided for schools identified under phase 2 of the Priority Schools Building Programme which are awaiting urgent repairs.

Edward Timpson: Over the previous parliament, the department allocated £18 billion to maintain and improve the condition of school buildings. A further £4.2 billion of funding was announced to be allocated over 2015-18 to schools, local authorities, academy trusts and voluntary aided partnerships to improve their own schools. Schools that are part of PSBP2 are also eligible to apply for the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) for blocks or areas of the school that are not included in the work they will receive under the programme. Each school in PSBP has direct contact with an EFA Project Director who can provide further tailored advice in regards to repairs and sources of potential funding. There is also a review process in place that allows us to consider bringing forward work at a school if there is a genuine need and we can do so within the programme constraints.

Priority School Building Programme

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the value of feasibility studies to ascertain how to prioritise delayed work in schools identified in phase 2 of the Priority School Building Programme.

Edward Timpson: The PSBP2 team conducted scoping studies of the successful school buildings in summer 2015. The scoping studies assessed the scope of work required to address condition need, together with any specific issues. The EFA team then confirmed the programme for delivery of the building projects at the 277 schools in December 2015 and work has since started at a number of schools to develop feasibility studies. Where possible, schools in the worst condition are being delivered first. We also have a review process in place that allows us to consider bringing forward work at a school if there is a genuine need and we can do so within the programme constraints. Detailed feasibility studies are carried out for each school to identify the options available to address condition need. Each feasibility study is independently reviewed and approved.

School Milk

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to encourage greater uptake of free milk in schools and nurseries.

Edward Timpson: The government wants pupils to be healthy and well nourished. We already encourage the consumption of dairy products as part of a balanced diet through school funding, legislation and guidance. Schools must provide free milk to all disadvantaged pupils when it is served during the school day as required by free school meals and milk legislation. Free milk is also provided to pupils in reception, year 1 and 2 when served as part of universal infant free school meals provision. To improve uptake, we are exploring what opportunities exist in the longer term to make the free school meals registration processes more efficient. The School Food Standards provide the legislative framework to ensure schools provide children with healthy food and drink options, which includes a requirement to make milk available at least once during the school day. As part of our work on the childhood obesity plan we will be promoting these standards to those academies and free schools where they do not already apply.   Department of Health spending on the Nursery Milk Scheme has doubled since 2007/08. The Scheme provides 1/3 pint (189ml) of milk per day to children under the age of five attending childminders or private and local authority nurseries for at least two hours a day. In addition, the EU School Milk Scheme provides subsidised milk to school children and plays a valuable role in encouraging the consumption of dairy products and contributing to the development of healthy eating habits from an early age.

Further Education: Assets

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills of 9 January 2017, Official Report, column 115, whether any challenge by creditors to the education administrator's sale of assets accrued by further education colleges would be settled by the courts.

Robert Halfon: Schedule 3, paragraph 21 and Schedule 4, paragraph 21 of the Technical and Further Education Bill 2016 modify Schedule B1 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (latest text of Bill: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/lbill/2016-2017/0088/17088.pdf), as it applies to colleges that are statutory corporations and those that are conducted by companies, to provide that, where a creditor considers that the Education Administrator is not carrying out their duties in accordance with Clause 22(4) of the Bill – i.e. that they must, so far as is consistent with the objective of the education administration, carry out their functions in a way that achieves the best result for the further education body’s creditors as a whole – then they may make an application to the court. The Court may take action to remedy any failure if it considers it appropriate, after it has given the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers a reasonable opportunity to make representations about the claim and the proposed remedy, relief or order.

Careers and Enterprise Company

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Careers and Enterprise Company volunteers are currently working with further education colleges (a) in total and (b) by region.

Robert Halfon: The Careers & Enterprise Company is continuing to make excellent progress towards transforming the provision of careers, enterprise and employer engagement experiences for young people.Based on the most recent data (December 2016), 1,302 secondary schools and colleges across the country have signed up to the Enterprise Adviser Network. Of those that have signed up, 100 are further education colleges, with 63 matched with an Enterprise Adviser volunteer. The Company does not yet have fully reported data, by region, for its Enterprise Adviser Network. This will be available in March 2017, on the Company’s website at: www.careersandenterprise.co.uk

Pupil Referral Units: Mental Health Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupil referral units in England employ a mental health specialist.

Nick Gibb: The information requested is not collected centrally.It is up to pupil referral units (PRUs) to decide what staff and support arrangements to be put in place. Some PRUs put in place joint working arrangements with local mental health services. To support all types of schools and colleges to build links with local mental health services, we recently announced that we will be extending our pilot of joint training for single points of contact in education and mental health services to up to 1,200 schools in 20 areas. The initial pilot ran last year and the evaluation will be published later this year. Initial results showed that the training had a positive effect on joint working to secure access to mental health support.

Adult Education

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of adult education on (a) helping unemployed people to obtain employment, (b) improving skills and productivity in the wider economy and (c) improving mental health and social isolation outcomes.

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the number of adults achieving Level 4 qualifications or above and (a) the ability of unemployed adults to obtain employment and (b) her Department's progress in tackling the skills and productivity gap.

Robert Halfon: We are helping unemployed people of all ages to obtain employment by equipping them with the skills that employers need.The Adult Education Budget helps young people aged 19-23 who need a second chance to achieve the qualifications they did not achieve in school (English and maths) and the unemployed who are looking to gain the skills needed to enter and progress in work.We offer Traineeships, an education and training programme involving work placements, which aim to help unemployed young people prepare for an apprenticeship, other sustainable employment or further training.The number of adults (19+) achieving a level 4+ qualification is 14,100 and has increased since last year (11,400). The Government has set out in the Industrial Strategy Green Paper how, building on the Skills Plan, it intends to grow advanced technical education.We are committed to ensuring we have a strong skills system that can drive increases in productivity, improvements in social mobility and help make a success of Brexit.New employer-led apprenticeship standards are now delivering the skills that employers need at all levels and we are rolling out more higher and degree apprenticeships.We are also radically reforming technical education, creating a simplified, high status system consisting of 15 occupational routes encompassing all technical education.To support this provision we are investing in specialist institutions - as announced in the Industrial Strategy Green Paper (published 23 January), the Government has made available £170m capital funding for new Institutes of Technology to deliver higher Technical Education in STEM subjects at higher skills levels to meet the needs of employers in local areas. We are also investing £80m in National Colleges to meet higher level skills gaps in sectors critical to the economy.Taken together, this will help to ensure that people are equipped with the higher level skills that employers need to be globally competitive and drive productivity.We continue to invest in learning opportunities for those with a disadvantage or learning difficulty who need additional support, enabling tailored programmes to be made available to help those furthest from learning or the workplace. This is through the AEB which can be used to provide the skills and learning disadvantaged adults need to equip them for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. It supports Community Learning which helps adults of different ages and backgrounds to develop their skills, self-confidence, motivation and resilience in order to improve their wellbeing and progress towards formal learning and employment. Funding is also available to help adult learners (19+) overcome barriers which prevent them from taking part in learning. This includes help to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.The national Community Learning Mental Health Study (2015/17) is a £20m 2-year research project funded through the 2014 Autumn Statement, which will help us to assess the effect of adult education on improving mental health and employment and social isolation outcomes. The findings will be available in January 2018.In addition, the Department has already commissioned the Learning and Work Institute to engage in work with adult education providers to explore and better understand which social metrics may help us better assess social outcomes (like improving social connectedness) through non-formal learning. Learning and Work Institute is due to report on the first year of this work in March 2017.

Class Sizes

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average classroom size was in 2016.

Nick Gibb: This information is published annually. The most recent figures can be found in table 6 of the statistical first release available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2016

Schools: Closures

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2016 to Question 57746, on schools closures, for what reason those costs are not collected centrally.

Nick Gibb: I refer the honourable member to my response to question 58497, which I have re-stated below.The Department does not record, centrally, information on the costs of school closures.The Department has not made an assessment of the number of schools that have closed and opened in the West Midlands, as compared with other regions; but the majority of academies that have closed since 2010 were merged with other schools rather than closed outright, which indicates this is likely to be for local organisational reasons.Where a school closure is proposed, a number of factors must be considered and balanced against each other before a decision can be made, including the financial implications. The department does not consider it would be useful to collate information on the cost of school closure across the piece as it is important to consider this in the context of an individual case and in a way that provides value for money to the taxpayer.

Baverstock Academy: Closures

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2016 to Question 57842, when she plans to publish the estimated cost of closing Baverstock Academy.

Edward Timpson: The estimated costs of the closure form only one element of the decision, which will take into consideration both the risks involved and dependencies required to deliver each of the options, and the best and most sustainable strategy for delivering good or outstanding school places for every child in the local area. The listening period for the proposed closure of Baverstock Academy ends on 7 February. This provides the opportunity for the community and stakeholders to make their representation to the Secretary of State before she makes a final decision. The priority for the Secretary of State in making a decision about the future of Baverstock Academy will be to deliver the best educational outcomes for local children.

Social Services: Children

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what exemptions to which statutory guidance were granted to each individual local authority in respect of their social services functions as they relate to children in each of the last three years.

Edward Timpson: The table below details all freedoms from statutory guidance that have been tested in the last three years. In Putting Children First the Department committed to “safely test and evaluate the removal of barriers that social work leaders tell us get in the way of good practice”. Alongside implementation of the power to test different ways of working, which will allow local authorities to apply to test changes to legislation, we will also seek to allow local authorities to test further freedoms from statutory guidance. Local authorityFreedom (Working Together to Safeguard Children)Brent15 working day time limit from strategy discussion to ICPCLeeds15 working day time limit from strategy discussion to ICPCHackney45 working day assessment time limit15 working day time limit from strategy discussion to ICPC10 working day time limit from ICPC to core group discussion (if child is subject of CPP)Hammersmith & Fulham45 working day assessment time limit15 working day time limit from strategy discussion to ICPCHartlepool45 working day assessment time limitKensington & Chelsea45 working day assessment time limit15 working day lime limit from strategy discussion to ICPCSuffolk15 working day time limit from strategy discussion to ICPCWandsworth45 working day assessment time limit10 working day time limit from ICPC to core group discussion (if child is subject of CPP) – until January 2015Westminster City Council45 working day assessment time limit15 working day time limit from strategy discussion to ICPC10 working day time limit from ICPC to core group discussion (if child is subject of CPP)West Sussex15 working day time limit from strategy discussion to ICPCWokingham15 working day time limit from strategy discussion to ICPCKnowsley (until 2014)45 working day assessment time limit15 working day time limit from strategy discussion to ICPC

Primary Education: Curriculum

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Written Ministerial Statement of 19 October 2016, HCWS203, what process was used to determine the benchmarks for the primary national curriculum.

Nick Gibb: The design of the new National Curriculum, first taught from September 2014, was based upon a thorough analysis of the curricula of the best performing education jurisdictions around the world, including Finland, Singapore and Massachusetts. During the review of the National Curriculum, the expert panel chaired by Tim Oates, advised on the principles and framework for the National Curriculum, drawing on international evidence. The programmes of study were developed by Department for Education officials working with subject experts to ensure that they matched the standards expected of children in the highest performing jurisdictions. New content was designed in consultation with a range of experts including subject specialists, teachers, representatives from Ofsted, learned societies and others.This benchmarking was vital in the drive to raise standards in primary schools, particularly in mathematics and English, to ensure that children were well prepared for the next stage of their education. The report is available at the following link https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/184064/DFE-RR178.pdf  On 7 February 2013, the Department for Education launched a formal consultation on the draft programmes of study for all National Curriculum subjects. The consultation ended on 16 April 2013. The Government response to the consultation was published in July 2013: https://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/NC%20in%20England%20consultation%20report%20-%20FINAL%20-%20Accessible.pdf

Schools: Finance

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much was transferred from the dedicated schools grant to the high needs block in each local authority area in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16.

Nick Gibb: The allocations for the high needs block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) for each local authority in 2013 to 2014, 2014 to 2015 and 2015 to 2016 are shown in the DSG allocations tables on GOV.UK at the links below, along with a technical note for each year explaining how the allocations have been calculated.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-2013-to-2014https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-2014-to-2015https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2015-to-2016

Schools: Standards

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development jurisdictions operate relative progress measures as a measure of school effectiveness.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not hold this information.There are a variety of different arrangements in place across the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development’s (OECD) countries and jurisdictions. These are documented by the OECD and other international organisations. Some examples are provided below:• In 2013 the OECD published their final synthesis report from a review of countries’ Evaluation and Assessment Frameworks for Improving School Outcomes: Synergies for Better Learning: An International Perspective on Evaluation and Assessment. Chapter 6 covers the use of assessment and evaluation for school evalution purposes:http://www.oecd.org/edu/school/oecdreviewonevaluationandassessmentframeworksforimprovingschooloutcomes.htm• In 2015 the European Comission published a report on Assuring Quality in Education: Policies and Approaches to School Evaluation in Europe. Chapter 1 and the national profiles cover the use of performance measures in evaluating school effectiveness :http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/documents/thematic_reports/178EN.pdf

Schools: Standards

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development jurisdictions operate a statutory baseline assessment for accountability purposes at the start of school.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not hold this information.There are a variety of different arrangements in place across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) countries and jurisdictions. These are documented by the OECD and other international organisations. Some examples are provided below:• The OECD’s Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) network have collated information about existing assessments of the development and well-being of children before or at the point that they start school. More information about their work is available from their website: http://www.oecd.org/edu/school/earlychildhoodeducationandcare.htm• Within their Key Data Series, the European Commission publish a report on Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe that includes some reference to learning objectives, outcomes and assessments. The report was most recently published in 2014: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/Eurydice/documents/key_data_series/166EN.pdf • Since 2013 the Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC) has been working with the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) on an international study on early childhood education (ECES). Their latest report contains a chapter on assessment practice across eight countries: http://www.crec.co.uk/announcements/iea-eces-early-childhood-policies-and-systems-in-eight-countries

Social Services: Children

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what potential mechanisms will be available to children and young people to challenge an application from their local authority for an exemption from or modification to statutory requirements under clause 32 of the Children and Social Work Bill.

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in what potential circumstances she plans to revoke an exemption made under clauses 32(2) of the Children and Social Work Bill; and how her Department will be made aware of individual children and young people who are adversely affected by such an exemption.

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which (a) organisations and (b) individuals she consulted to determine the statutory requirements that cannot be subject to exemption or modification under clause 32(2) of the Children and Social Work Bill; and what criteria she used to determine the list in clause 32(4).

Edward Timpson: The list in clause 32(4) was determined through discussions with legal advisers and consultation with policy officials across the department. We also undertook informal consultation with voluntary sector organisations on our planned approach, including with the Children’s Society, Barnardo’s, NSPCC and Action for Children as well as Partners in Practice local authorities. There will be an opportunity to further debate the list as the Bill progresses through Parliament. Before applying for an exemption or modification to legislation a local authority must undertake consultation, in particular they must consider consulting affected children and young people. The feedback from this consultation will be provided to both the Secretary of State and the expert panel who advise on applications. We would expect any successful application to ensure children and young people’s views were taken into account. Every trial will be carefully monitored by the Department for Education, to ensure that children are not adversely affected. The specific monitoring arrangements will be agreed as part of the application process, however we expect them to include provision for children to raise concerns about a trial. The expert advisory panel will provide published advice as to whether the monitoring arrangements in the application are sufficient. If, through the monitoring of trials, the Secretary of State received evidence that children were being adversely affected by a trial, she would act swiftly to revoke an exemption. There may also be other circumstances where the Secretary of State would revoke an exemption, for instance if the local authority decided they no longer wanted to continue with a trial.

Higher Education: EU Grants and Loans

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2017 to Question 60574, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the decision to leave the EU on the number of academic staff at UK Higher Education Institutions whose funding is from EU sources.

Joseph Johnson: Any potential effects of the UK’s decision to leave the EU on the number of academic staff at UK higher education institutions whose funding is from EU sources will be considered as part of wider discussions about the UK’s relationship with the EU.

Children: Day Care

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 23 November 2016 to Question 53754, on early years funding, when the Department expects to publish the results of the consultation referred to in that Answer.

Caroline Dinenage: I refer the hon. Member to the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement, Early Years Education (HCWS306), on 1 December, which can be found at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2016-12-01/HCWS306/

Class Sizes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the average (a) primary and (b) secondary school class size in each year since 2010.

Nick Gibb: This information is published annually in the “Schools, pupils and their characteristics” statistical release. The most recent figures and a time series going back to 2006 can be found in table 6 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2016 and is included in the attachment. 



class_sizes_attachment
(Excel SpreadSheet, 12.34 KB)

Ministry of Justice

Human Trafficking

Sir Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many compensation awards of what amount were made to victims related to each of the 30 convictions for human trafficking recorded in 2015.

Dr Phillip Lee: Data relating to compensation awarded in respect of convictions for human trafficking in 2015 can be found in the “outcomes by offence” data tool table contained in the annual Criminal Justice Statistics publication, linked below. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2015 No defendants convicted in 2015 were ordered by the court to pay compensation for the offences of human trafficking for non-sexual exploitation and human trafficking for sexual exploitation. Under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012, compensation may be paid to victims of violent crime. However, these payments are on the basis of injury sustained and not related to criminal proceedings: the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority which administers the scheme does not keep records based on convictions, and so cannot provide figures for the number of compensation payments made to victims of human trafficking. The Government has introduced provisions for bespoke Slavery and Trafficking Reparation Orders in the Modern Slavery Act 2015. These orders are designed to ensure that more money confiscated from convicted traffickers goes directly to their victims.

Ministry of Justice: Credit Unions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department permits its employees to join a credit union through payroll deductions; and if she will make a statement.

Dr Phillip Lee: MoJ does not currently have a policy to provide access to credit union services through payroll deductions. We will however be monitoring arrangements in DWP with a view to determining whether MoJ should develop such a policy as part of its wider wellbeing strategy. MoJ is also in the process of implementing a new cross-government benefits platform which in addition to providing access to salary sacrifice benefits and discounts on goods and services also provides staff with information to raise financial awareness.

Ministry of Justice: Policy

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will provide a comprehensive list of the public policy targets established by her Department (a) between 2010 and May 2015 and (b) since May 2015.

Dr Phillip Lee: Information about the Ministry of Justice’s policy commitments is in the public domain in a number of formats. Like all government departments we publish our Annual Report and Accounts in June or July each year. This is scrutinised through the select committee process. Annual Reports are available on gov.uk Single Departmental Plans set out the strategic objectives, priorities and headline indicators for each department. These are currently being refreshed and will be updated by the end of April 2017.

Prisons: Ambulance Services

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information she holds on the number of ambulance call-outs to prisons in England and Wales in each of the last five years.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The information requested is not held centrally.

Prison Service: ICT

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress has been made on the new ICT gateway into the National Offender Management System.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Strategic Partner Gateway which allows data sharing between Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) and the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has been delivered, with the last release implemented in September 2016. NOMS are working closely with parent organisations and the CRCs to understand their roll out plans and to support them through full testing and implementation.

Reparation by Offenders

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much funding she plans to allocate from the victim services budget for 2020-21 to police and crime commissioners for restorative justice capacity building.

Dr Phillip Lee: We have protected the overall level of funding for victims for this spending review period and have announced total funding of around £95m in 2017-18 to fund crucial support services. Police and Crime Commissioners will receive about £68m in 2017-18 to commission and/or provide the majority of emotional and practical support services for victims of crime (including restorative justice services). It will be for Police and Crime Commissioners to determine how to spend this funding within the terms of the grant agreement because they are well placed to know the needs of victims in their areas.

Community Rehabilitation Companies: Wales

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many staff have applied for the Voluntary Severance scheme offered by the Community Rehabilitation Company in Wales.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many staff currently employed by Community Rehabilitation Companies in (a) Wales and (b) West England will be expected to join the Voluntary Severance Scheme by the 2017-18 financial year.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many staff have left the employment of the Community Rehabilitation Company in Wales (a) voluntarily and (b) through redundancy since 1 January 2016.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) are not contractually required to report on staffing numbers. All CRCs are contractually required to maintain a professional and appropriately skilled workforce to deliver the services set out in their contracts. We robustly contract manage each CRC to make sure they fulfil their contractual commitment to maintain service delivery, reduce reoffending, protect the public and deliver value for money for taxpayers.

Prisons: Drugs

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the monetary value was of drugs seized from each prison in each quarter of 2016.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The information requested is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Sexual Offences: Convictions

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the conviction rate for (a) rape and (b) sexual assault charges was in (i) Nottinghamshire and (ii) England in 2016.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Information on convictions for 2016, including that for sexual offences, is planned for publication in May 2017

Special Educational Needs: Tribunals

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of First-Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) users represented themselves as litigants in person in each quarter in each of the last five years; and in what proportion of those cases tribunals found in favour of those litigants in person.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of First-Tier Tribunal (Mental Health) users represented themselves as litigants in person in each quarter in each of the last five years; and in what proportion of those cases tribunals found in favour of those litigants in person.

Sir Oliver Heald: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Prisoners' Release: Housing

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to help ex-offenders find accommodation on their release from prison.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Ensuring that offenders have access to suitable and stable accommodation is integral to breaking the cycle of reoffending.As part of our probation reforms all offenders, including those sentenced to less than 12 months, now receive targeted support when they leave prison to help them reintegrate into society. This includes help to find accommodation. We are currently conducting a comprehensive review of the probation system, which will look at how we can improve outcomes for offenders. The review will be completed in April this year.

Leader of the House

Members: Correspondence

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Leader of the House, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Glasgow Central of 18 December 2016 on his promise to draw the Ministry of Justice's attention to three constituency cases affected by Tier 1 immigration tribunal delays.

Mr David Lidington: I understand that the Minister of State for Courts and Justice will shortly be responding to the concerns raised in the hon. Member for Glasgow Central’s letter.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Voluntary Work: Young People

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the level of participation of people from (a) ABC1 and (b) C2DE families in programmes funded by the Youth Social Action Fund in each of the last three years.

Mr Rob Wilson: DCMS does not hold specific data on the information requested. However, the findings from the 2016 annual Youth Social Action Survey found 38% of young people from C2DE families and 46% of young people from ABC1 families have taken part in meaningful social action.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Sick Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many senior civil servants in her Department were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month of each year since the Department's creation.

Matt Hancock: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Staff

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many officials of her Department are working full-time on preparations for the UK leaving the EU; and what proportion of her Department's staff that number represents.

Matt Hancock: I refer the hon member to my response to PQ 51894.

Football: Discrimination

Nusrat Ghani: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department supports projects in football to tackle anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination; and if she will make a statement.

Tracey Crouch: There is no place for discrimination of any kind in sport, at any level. I receive regular updates on English football’s Inclusion & Anti-Discrimination Action Plan, which details the work undertaken by the football authorities, clubs, County Football Associations and campaign groups to tackle all forms of discrimination and ensure the game is open and welcoming to everyone at all levels. We are fully appreciative of the efforts football and other sports have made over a number of years to tackle discrimination. For example football and rugby union bodies, including the Premier League, the Football Association, the English Football League, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited, Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Football Union, all supported Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign to show support for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender (LGB&T) players and fans, as part of which players and officials wore rainbow-coloured laces and armbands. My Department is also supportive of the Home Office's recent work in partnership with Kick It Out to develop guidance on tackling anti-Muslim hatred and also on initiatives related to LGB&T hate crime. This was outlined in ‘Action Against Hate', the government’s plan for tackling hate crime, published in July 2016. It builds on Kick It Out's previous work with the Community Security Trust and Maccabi GB on reporting anti-Semitism in football through guidance to all professional clubs and managers of stadia.

Internet: Hate Crime

Nusrat Ghani: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Home Affairs on proposals for a ministerial seminar on hate on the internet.

Tracey Crouch: DCMS officials will attend the cross-government hate crime delivery group meeting on 30 January. The development of the Ministerial seminar on hate crime on the internet will be one of the actions this group will take forward.

Broadband: Business

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to page 15 of the January 2017 green paper, Building our Industrial Strategy, whether the £17 billion increase in gross value added as a result of faster broadband speeds was based on superfast broadband take-up by businesses; and what proportion of businesses will need to take-up superfast broadband  in order for that £17 billion target to be met.

Matt Hancock: The £17 billion estimated uplift is based on the estimate of the benefits of extending superfast broadband coverage and its impacts on business growth and productivity which are set out in the UK Broadband Impact Study, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/257006/UK_Broadband_Impact_Study_-_Impact_Report_-_Nov_2013_-_Final.pdf

Members: Correspondence

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to reply to the letter of 16 December 2016 from the hon. Member for West Bromwich East on the recently revealed fraud against the National Lottery.

Tracey Crouch: A response was sent to the Hon. Member on January 25th 2017.

Department for Work and Pensions

Children: Maintenance

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the offsetting of personal pension payments against child maintenance payments on families in receipt of such maintenance payments.

Caroline Nokes: Enabling people to have security in retirement is an important part of our pension policy. In recognition of this, contributions to an occupational or personal pension are deducted from gross income when calculating a child maintenance liability. Where a parent believes the other parent in their case has deliberately made excessive contributions towards a private or occupational pension to reduce the level of their income on which they are assessed for maintenance, the maintenance liability may be reconsidered.

Personal Independence Payment: Appeals

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the personal independence payment appeal process on disabled people who use mobility vehicles.

Penny Mordaunt: While only a small proportion of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decisions are appealed, we recognise that the appeals process can be challenging for some individuals. Therefore, the Department is exploring a number of avenues to improve in this area, which include: working closely with HM Courts and Tribunals Service to reduce appeals times, which continue to improve; running a series of trials looking at the end-to-end PIP decision-making process, with a particular focus on Mandatory Reconsideration and the different ways that we can improve our decision-making quality; and working closely with Motability to explore options for supporting claimants pending appeal. Currently, the Motability charity provides a one-off package of transitional support and advice to support customers who no longer meet the eligibility criteria for the Motability scheme. For the majority of these customers, Motability provides transitional support of £2,000 in order to help support their mobility needs, including those who choose to appeal during this period. If an appeal is successful, PIP arrears are paid in full to the claimant and they can rejoin the Motability scheme immediately, if they repay their transitional support money, or else within 6 months of the date they left the scheme.

Children: Maintenance

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 1 November 2016 to Question 51325, whether the introduction of fees and ongoing collection charges referred to in that Answer apply to victims of domestic abuse.

Caroline Nokes: Applicants who disclose they are victims of domestic violence or abuse are exempt from the £20 application fee charged by the Child Maintenance Service. Charges on the Collect and Pay service were introduced to encourage parents to collaborate on maintenance arrangements where possible. There are no exemptions from these collection charges. The Direct Pay service, a safe option that need not involve contact between the paying parent and receiving parent, has no charges.

Means-tested Benefits

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who have received hardship payments in the last three years are classified by the Government as vulnerable.

Damian Hinds: This information is not available. Information on the total number of hardship payments, by month, for Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/jsa-and-esa-hardship-applications-and-awards-apr-2012-to-jun-2015

Employment Support Allowance

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of the primary beneficiaries who receive non-discretionary support for (a) HIV, (b) Stage 1 hepatitis C and (c) Stage 2 hepatitis C as a result of the contaminated blood scandal are also recipients of employment support allowance.

Penny Mordaunt: The information requested is not available.

Universal Credit: Disqualification

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of universal credit have been subject to higher-level sanctions in the last three years.

Damian Hinds: The information requested is not currently available. The Department published its strategy for releasing official statistics on benefit sanctions, including Universal Credit (UC) in April 2016. As outlined in the strategy, officials are currently developing the data for UC sanctions and will only release information once the necessary quality assurance work has taken place. These statistics will be published in accordance with the relevant protocols in the Code of Practice for official statistics. Benefit Sanctions official statistics and the Departments release strategy can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/jobseekers-allowance-sanctions’

Universal Credit: Fraud

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of universal credit have not declared paid work.

Damian Hinds: In 2016/17, we estimate that £3m (or 0.5% of the total amount of Universal Credit in payment) was overpaid due to claimants not reporting a change in their level of earnings or the number of hours they worked. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system-financial-year-201516-estimates

Employment and Support Allowance

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2016 to Question 57149, whether people in the Work-Related Activity Group (WRAG) of Employment Support Allowance (a) will continue to receive £102.15 a week or (b) will receive the lower rate of £73.10 in the event that they are re-assessed and placed again in the WRAG after April 2017.

Penny Mordaunt: Safeguards are in place to ensure claimants in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance as of 3 April do not lose the extra payment even if they are reassessed after April and placed in the Work-Related Activity Group.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Glasgow

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been sanctioned for not attending their jobseeker's allowance appointment within five minutes of the appointed time in (a) Glasgow Central, (b) Glasgow South, (c) Glasgow North East, (d) Glasgow East, (e) Glasgow South West, (f) Glasgow North and (g) Glasgow North West constituencies in each year since 2010.

Damian Hinds: This information is not available. Information on Jobseeker’s Allowance sanction decisions by referral reason and constituency is available here: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk Guidance for users is available at: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

Universal Credit: Young People

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many 16-17 year-olds are in receipt of universal credit; and how many of those recipients are (a) lone parents, (b) disabled and (c) without parental support.

Damian Hinds: As of December 2016, the number of 16 to 17 year olds claiming Universal Credit, including both those in and not in receipt of a payment was 250. This information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics. More detailed information about 16 to17 year olds claiming UC is not currently published, however the department is committed to transparency and we intend to increase the range of published data on UC following satisfactory quality assurance of data. Therefore we will release further information on 16 to17 year olds in receipt of UC in due course.

Personal Independence Payment: Motability

Phil Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to extend the grace period for final decisions to be made on an appeal or mandatory reconsideration of a personal independence payment award for a Motability user in order to reduce the incidence of those claimants losing access to their vehicles.

Penny Mordaunt: The Government is always exploring new ways to support disabled people, including those making Personal Independence Payment (PIP) appeals and we continue to work closely with Motability.Claimants are already allowed to keep their vehicle for up to seven weeks following an initial decision that they are not entitled to PIP, with Mandatory Reconsiderations normally completed well before this. Only a small proportion of PIP decisions are appealed and we are working closely with HM Courts and Tribunals Service to reduce appeals times, which continue to improve.

Employment: Disability

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to ensure disabled people have the right support in place to stay in work.

Penny Mordaunt: ‘Improving Lives’, the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper, published in October 2016, sets out our intention to remove the long-standing injustices and barriers that stop disabled people and people with health conditions from getting into work, staying in work and getting on. Through the Green Paper we are asking about the barriers preventing employers from recruiting and retaining disabled people and people with health conditions, and what measures would help them in doing so.We are also reforming and expanding Government schemes that support employers and employees with health and disability issues. For example, through Access to Work and Disability Confident. Access to Work provides practical and financial support with the additional costs faced by individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job.

Jobcentres: Scotland

Ronnie Cowan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations his Department has received on the future leasing of job centre offices in Scotland.

Damian Hinds: We started a consultation process for the proposed closure of some Glasgow Jobcentres on 7 December 2016 and we will continue to collect feedback from people until the consultation closes on 31 January 2017. We have also received a number of questions from MPs, MSPs and other representatives.

Immigration: EEA Nationals

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many EEA migrants have been through the Genuine Prospect of Work assessment since May 2015; and how many such people have (a) had access to benefits denied and (b) been removed from the UK.

Damian Hinds: The numbers of EEA migrants who have been through the Genuine Prospect of Work assessment and had their benefit claim either ended or extended was published in August 2016 at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/548225/analysis-of-eea-migrants-access-to-income-related-benefits-measures.pdf Information on the number or EEA migrants who have been through the Genuine Prospect of work assessment and subsequently removed from the UK is not available.

Occupational Pensions

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of people in work who have a defined (a) benefit and (b) contribution pension scheme.

Richard Harrington: Latest ONS data, taken from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) relating to April 2015, shows the proportion of employees in work contributing to an occupational defined benefit scheme was reported to be 28.3%, largely unchanged since 2012. The proportion of employees in work contributing to either an occupational defined contribution, Group Personal or Group Stakeholder pension scheme was reported to be 34.3%, almost double the 17.2% reported in 2012.

Universal Credit

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will increase the number of call operators employed to process universal credit claims.

Damian Hinds: The Universal Credit service monitors the level of telephone calls every day to ensure appropriate levels of resource are in place, and has the flexibility to deploy additional people at short notice if needed. There are also plans in place to increase resource to meet the rise in demand as Universal Credit roles out.

Severe Disablement Allowance: Universal Credit

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claimants previously received severe disability allowance.

Penny Mordaunt: Of the 290,000 people on Universal Credit, as at June 2016, 310 (0.1%) had received Severe Disablement Allowance at some point between August 1999 and May 2016.

Universal Credit and Housing Benefit: Local Government Finance

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the effectiveness of recent changes to housing payments and universal credits on local government debt.

Caroline Nokes: The relationship between Universal Credit and local authority debt is complex, with many different factors at play. We continue to work closely with landlords, Local Authorities, housing associations and other organisations in order to understand the issues involved and address any concerns regarding the effects of Universal Credit.

Severe Disablement Allowance: Universal Credit

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what average change in payments to claimants has resulted from changes to provision of severe disability allowance for people moving to universal credit.

Penny Mordaunt: This information is not available.

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of future trends in government spending on employment support for employment and support allowance claimants after the proposals in the Work, health and disability green paper: improving lives, published on 31 October 2016, have been fully implemented.

Penny Mordaunt: The ‘Improving Lives – the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper’ sets out the Government’s proposals for improving work and health outcomes for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions. It seeks views on these proposals across a range of health, employer, welfare and societal issues; asking key questions like ‘what will it take to transform the employment prospects of disabled people and people with long-term health conditions?’. This consultation is still on-going and we are gathering stakeholder’s views on these proposals. As set out during the passage of the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016, in addition to existing support we are investing in additional practical support for claimants with limited capability for work from April 2017, rising from £60m in 2017/18 to £100m in 2020/21. As set out in the Green Paper, employment support for claimants receiving Employment and Support Allowance includes provision in Jobcentre Plus, contracted employment programmes, and other spending such as Access to Work.

Employment and Support Allowance

Neil Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how he plans to replace the financial support for recipients claiming employment support allowance (ESA) in the work-related activity group (WRAG) after the ESA WRAG component has been removed.

Penny Mordaunt: We remain committed to ensuring that people have the best support possible to move closer to the labour market and, when they are ready, into work. This is why we are investing in a broad package of tailored support for new claimants in the Employment and Support Allowance Work-Related Activity Group and Universal Credit Limited Capability for Work element.As part of this, we have allocated a total of £330m for new, voluntary support for people with limited capability for work, over four years starting from April 2017, and an extra £15 million through a top up to the existing Flexible Support Fund in both 2017/18 and 2018/19. In addition, we are beginning to engage with third party providers to investigate possibilities to reduce costs to claimants.This is a substantial investment in those affected by the Work-Related Activity Component removal, but there are several factors around the nature of this group and the voluntary elements of the support which mean that we cannot demonstrate full compensation for every claimant.Programme support for people with health conditions and disabilities will be devolved to Scotland from April 2017. The block grant to the Scottish Government will be adjusted to reflect the devolution of welfare, as set out in the Fiscal Framework.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Food

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the country of origin is of each product within the 24-hour ration packs issued by his Department.

Harriett Baldwin: The current contracts for storage and distribution of world-wide operational and non-operational food, bottled water and operational ration packs are held by Purple Foodservice Solutions Ltd. The information specifically requested is not held.

Low Flying: Compensation

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much compensation his Department has paid as a result of low flying incidents in each of the last five years.

Mark Lancaster: Compensation paid by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) as a result of low flying incidents in each of the last five years is: 2012 - £616,074.902013 - £785,565.372014 - £491,556.952015 - £180,462.502016 - £275.469.68 As a comparison compensation paid by the MOD under the then Labour Government were: 2006 - £1,288,815.992007 - £2,014,163.332008 - £860,544.542009 - £529,889.33

Low Flying

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many low flying incidents involved livestock in each of the last five years; and what the cost was of compensation paid in relation to each of those incidents.

Mark Lancaster: The number of compensation claims paid by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for livestock in each of the last five years are: 2012 - 34 Incidents £142,822.672013 - 37 Incidents £167,559.582014 - 32 Incidents £192,836.782015 - 25 Incidents £124,016.502016 - 18 Incidents £215,304.89 As a comparison the number of claims paid by the MOD under the then Labour Government were: 2006 - 63 Incidents £244,325.442007 - 90 Incidents £275,702.452008 - 80 Incidents £430,908.052009 - 63 Incidents £367,937.31 A breakdown of the compensation paid in relation to each incident is attached.



60911 - Breakdown of compensation paid
(Excel SpreadSheet, 17.47 KB)

Armed Forces: Compensation

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much compensation his Department has paid to armed forces personnel as a result of road traffic accidents in each of the last five years.

Mike Penning: The amount of compensation paid to Armed Forces personnel as a result of road traffic accidents in each of the last five calendar years is as follows:2012£1,373,0642013£1,731,3302014£530,7322015£4,707,0702016£1,301,073The figures relate to common law claims brought by Armed Forces personnel against their employer, the Ministry of Defence (MOD). An example might be a soldier injured when travelling as a passenger in a MOD vehicle which is involved in an accident.

Ministry of Defence: Sick Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many senior civil servants in his Department were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month of each year since the Department's creation.

Mark Lancaster: Information held does not allow Ministry of Defence civilian personnel who were on a leave of absence with a mental illness to be separately identified.

Trident Missiles: Testing

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to alter the location for future Trident testing away from mainland sites.

Sir Michael Fallon: No.

Royal Logistic Corps: Recruitment

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ammunition Technical Officers have joined 11 EOD Regiment Royal Logistic Corps in each of the last five years.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ammunition Technical Officers were in 11 EOD Regiment Royal Logistic Corps in each of the last five years.

Mark Lancaster: We do not routinely comment on specific capabilities as to do so would compromise operational security, and would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Trident Missiles: Testing

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) defective and (b) successful test firings there have been of unarmed Trident II D5 missiles in the last 30 years; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Michael Fallon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 January 2017 to Question 61258 to the hon. Member for Barrow and Furness (John Woodcock).



61258 - WQnA extract on Trident Missiles Testing
(Word Document, 14.76 KB)

Trident Missiles: Testing

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will hold an inquiry into the results of the tests on the UK's nuclear deterrent in June 2016.

Sir Michael Fallon: No. The Demonstration and Shakedown Operation conducted by the Royal Navy resulted in the successful certification of HMS Vengeance, allowing her to return to the operational cycle.

Trident Missiles: Testing

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he was made aware of the results of the tests on the UK's nuclear deterrent in June 2016; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Michael Fallon: I am routinely informed of the outcome of Demonstration and Shakedown Operations.

Military Aircraft

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure the operational sovereignty of the RAF RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic and signal intelligence aircraft fleet.

Harriett Baldwin: RAF RC-135 Rivet Joint operational sorties are conducted under UK command and authorisation. When supporting coalition operations, Rivet Joint remains under the command of the deployed UK Air Component Commander.

Helicopters

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many helicopters by type are allocated to the Commando Helicopter Force.

Mike Penning: The Commando Helicopter Force has six Wildcat Attack Helicopter Mark1 and 25 Merlin Mark 3 helicopters.

Marines: Reserve Forces

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the strength is of the Royal Marine Reserves in (a) London, (b) Bristol, (c) Liverpool and (d) Glasgow.

Mark Lancaster: The strength of the Royal Marine Reserves by stationed locations in London, Bristol, Liverpool and Glasgow as of 1 October 2016 is provided in the table below: Royal Marine Reserves888  London236City of Bristol195Liverpool213Glasgow City15Source: Defence Statistic (Tri Service)Notes: Royal Marine Reserve includes High Readiness Reserves, those volunteer reserves serving on Full Time Reserve Service and Additional Duties Commitments.Military personnel numbers are sourced from the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) system. Location data are based on the stationed location of the individual as recorded in the ‘Assignment Location’ field of the JPA system. The figures are based on Service personnel’s stationed location and not their location of residence – where personnel work is not necessarily where they live. For Reservists with specialist skills posted to National Units, the Posted Unit may be a long way from where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location.

Marines: Military Bands

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) trained and (b) untrained strength is of the Royal Marine Band Service.

Mike Penning: The trained and untrained strength of the Royal Marines Band Service is published in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Monthly Personnel Situation Report. The figures as at 1 December 2016 are shown as: Trained350Untrained70Total420Notes:1. Regular Marines in the Royal Marines Band Service. 2. Totals are rounded separately so may not equal the sum of their rounded parts. The link to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Monthly Personnel Situation Report published on 19 January 2017 giving further details can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/584247/20170116_-_FINAL_-_RN_RM_Monthly_Situation_Report__rounded___2_.pdf

Veterans

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what instructions his Department issues to the armed services limiting the entry to mess establishments of retired members of the armed forces.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence does not provide the single Services with central guidance on this matter. Mess establishments have charitable status and are responsible for setting their own membership criteria.

Trident Missiles: Testing

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Government Ministers attended Royal Navy SSBN and Trident II D5 demonstration and shakedown operations in (a) 2012 and (b) 2016.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) armed forces personnel and (b) guests attending Royal Navy SSBN and Trident ll D5 demonstration and shakedown operations in (i) 2012 and (ii) 2016 were accommodated in US hotels.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many VIPs were invited aboard Royal Navy SSBN during SSBN and Trident II D5 Demonstration and Stakedown Operations in (a) 2012 and (b) 2016.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian guests were invited aboard Royal Navy SSBN during SSBN and Trident II D5 Demonstration and Stakedown Operations in (a) 2012 and (b) 2016.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK national civilian guests were aboard the US Naval Ship Waters T-AGS-45 during Royal Navy SSBN and Trident II D5 demonstration and shakedown operations in 2012.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK personnel attended Royal Navy SSBN and Trident II D5 demonstration and shakedown operations in (a) 2012 and (b) 2016.

Sir Michael Fallon: No UK Government Ministers attended the Demonstration and Shakedown Operations (DASO) in the US in 2012 and 2016. Overall, 30 UK personnel attended the 2012 DASO and 42 attended in 2016. All attendees required accommodation in US hotels for periods of between two and four nights depending on whether they were witnessing rehearsal activity and the launch or only the launch. In 2012, eight guests were invited on board the HMS Vigilant; three military and five civilians. Three of these guests were considered VIPs. In 2016, seven guests were invited on board HMS Vengeance; four military and three civilians. Three of these guests were considered VIPs. In 2012, eleven civilian guests, including UK Government officials, industrial partners and academics, attended the DASO on board the Launch Area Surface Ship, and 28 civilians attended the DASO in 2016.

Home Office

Refugees: Children

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any of the child refugees who were brought to the UK from Calais in 2016 have been subsequently assessed as being over the age of 18.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Home Office publish the number of age dispute cases raised and resolved for asylum claimants in the Immigration Statistics release each quarter, in table 10 q:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/572377/asylum3-q3-2016-tables.ods

Visas

Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of time taken to consider an application for a UK visa was in cases where an applicant referenced Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights in each of the last three years.

Mr Robert Goodwill: I am sorry but ‘Article 8’ is not a specific Visa category. To answer this question would involve individual scrutiny of every application within the period. This would incur disproportionate cost. Overall information on work in progress and performance against service standards for UKVI and Border Force is published in the Home Office’s transparency data, available at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data

Home Office: Sick Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many senior civil servants in her Department were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month since January 2010.

Sarah Newton: The number of Senior Civil Servants in the Home Office who were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness since January 2010 is set out in the table below. Headcount %Grade EquivalencyReporting Group - Cabinet Office2010201120122013201420152016Senior Civil ServantsMental Health Issues0.0%0.8%1.5%0.4%0.0%0.3%1.4% Source: Data View - Office for National Statistics compliant monthly snapshot corporate Human Resources data for Home Office.Period Covered: 1st January to 31st December in each year.Extraction Date: 1st January of the following year.Organisational Coverage: Figures include Home Office.Employee Coverage: Data is based on headcount of all senior civil servants who were current at 31st December in each year and 12 months leavers, and had a leave of absence due to mental health issues during the period.Senior Civil Servants are senior staff who undertake roles within SCS Pay Band 1, SCS Pay Band 2 and SCS Pay Band 3 along with the Permanent Secretary.Note: Due to the small numbers involved we have provided the numbers per year rather than for individual months.In the Home Office we are committed to breaking down barriers and reducing stigma for those staff living with mental health conditions. We signed up to the Time to Change pledge in 2014 making a public commitment to be at the forefront of UK employers to tackle mental health issues in the workplace and we remain dedicated to ensuring mental health is a priority.



Table - PQ 60775
(Excel SpreadSheet, 13.4 KB)

Vetting

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) standard, (b) enhanced and (c) enhanced with barred list checks applications have been submitted to the Disclosure and Barring Service in each year since 2009-10; and how many of those applications were (i) accepted and (ii) rejected.

Sarah Newton: Table 1 shows how many (a) standard, (b) enhanced and (c) enhanced with barred list checks applications have been submitted to the Disclosure and Barring Service and accepted in each year since 2009-10. Table 2 shows how many (a) standard, (b) enhanced and (c) enhanced with barred list checks applications have been submitted to the Disclosure and Barring Service and rejected for each year since 2009-10 because of issues with the application form. Table 1:Disclosures Received & AcceptedF/YStandardEnhancedEnhanced with List Checks2009/10294,96999,7344,011,4342010/11188,02041,3283,893,9232011/12263,55822,1093,771,0122012/13264,99482,0643,706,8152013/14236,000164,1413,614,6562014/15279,662183,6993,681,2292015/16302,447199,9683,754,6912016/17 to 20/01/2017228,494177,7842,993,294 Table 2:Disclosures Received & RejectedF/YRejected StandardRejected EnhancedRejected Enhanced with list checks2009/101,1051072,1852010/112,018159032011/121,112101,4102012/13864201,1362013/14588288452014/1539366772015/1627488062016/17 to 20/01/2017406634

Vetting

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 5 January 2016 to Question 20698, on vetting, if she will provide the same information for (a) 2010, (b) 2015 and (c) 2016.

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 7 August 2014 to Question 205989, on vetting and the Disclosure and Barring Service, if she will provide those statistics for (a) 2014, (b) 2015 and (c) 2016.

Sarah Newton: For the period of 2010 I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 5 January 2016, UIN 20698. For the period of 2014 I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 5 January 2016, UIN 20698.Information relating to the reasons and the harm type under which each person was so placed cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.Tables 1 and 2 show the number of people who were added to the Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists for the years 2015 and 2016. Table 1: Children’s Barred List Year1. Autobar withoutrepresentations2. Autobar withrepresentations3. Discretionary20151334142184201613021391107 Table 2: Adults’ Barred ListYear1. Autobar withoutrepresentations2. Autobar withrepresentations3. Discretionary2015521036283201638953258

Child Sexual Abuse Independent Panel Inquiry

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have worked for the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse since that inquiry was established; and how many such people have received (a) standard, (b) enhanced and (c) enhanced with barred list checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff have left the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in each month since it was established.

Sarah Newton: The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is independent of Government. Matters relating to staffing are for the Inquiry.

Visas

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of people who arrive in the UK on Tier 1 (Investor) visas later apply to settle; and what proportion of those later applications is successful.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The proportion of Tier 1 Investors who arrived in the UK who later applied to settle; and the proportion of those later applications that were successful cannot be obtained without exceeding proportionate cost limits The number of Tier 1 (Investor) settlement application granted are publish and are available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2016/settlement#data-tables

Visas

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people arrived in the UK on Tier 1 (Investor) visas in each of the last eight years.

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for Tier 1 (Investor) visas have been refused in each of the last eight years.

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are in the UK having arrived on a Tier 1 (Investor) visa.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Information on the numbers of grants, refusals, withdrawals and lapsed cases for Tier 1 (Investor) visa applications is published quarterly, latest data in the Home Office’s ‘Immigration Statistics, July – September 2016’, table vi_01_q (visa data tables volume 1), available here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2016/list-of-tables#visas Information on the numbers of admissions on Tier 1 (Investor) visas is published quarterly, latest data in the Home Office’s ‘Immigration Statistics, July – September 2016’, table ad_02_q (admissions data tables), available here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2016/list-of-tables#admissions

Refugee Council

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers received independent advice from the Refugee Council over the course of the duration of its contract with her Department; and what the average length of time was between opening and closing those cases.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Refugee Council run Children’s Panel provided advice to 1,971 children in 2016. The length of time between opening and closing cases, could only be provided at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.

Migrant Help

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Migrant Help's contract with her Department.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The advice and guidance of Migrant Help is provided under an enabling grant, not through a contract. This grant funding is provided for Migrant Help to deliver independent advice and guidance about a range of issues affecting asylum seekers. A Statement of Requirements is used to review the work of Migrant Help each every quarter.

Refugees: Children

Heidi Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made on determining the eligibility criteria for children in Greece and Italy to be considered for transfer to the UK under the Dublin Regulations and section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.

Heidi Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will confirm when the first transfers of unaccompanied refugee children from Greece and Italy will arrive in the UK under the Dubs amendment; how many children the Government plans to transfer to the UK under that amendment; and when she plans for the programme of transfers to the UK under that amendment to end.

Mr Robert Goodwill: In 2016, we transferred over 900 unaccompanied children to the UK from Europe, including more than 750 from France. Approximately 200 of these children met the criteria for section 67 of the Immigration Act. We have seconded an expert to Greece to support efforts to transfer children from Greece under the Dublin Regulation and section 67 of the Immigration Act. Our secondee has been working closely with UNHCR, IOM and the Greek authorities to identify potentially eligible children and put in place a process to transfer children to the UK where it is in their best interests. We have a long standing secondee in Italy who is based in the Italian Dublin Unit and supports the effective functioning of the Dublin Regulation between the UK and Italy.More eligible children will be transferred from Europe, in line with the terms of the Immigration Act, in the coming months. The Government will specify the number to be transferred, the process, and the criteria for further transfers under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 in due course.The Government will continue to meet our obligations under the Dublin Regulation. We are not required to publish eligibility criteria for transfers under the Dublin Regulation, as these are set out within the Regulation.

Vacancies

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she next plans to review the shortage occupation list.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) reviews the Shortage Occupation List when commissioned to do so by the Government.  The MAC has carried out two full reviews and four partial reviews of the Shortage Occupation List since May 2010. The MAC recently reviewed the teaching sector and has submitted its report. The Government is considering further reviews of the list as part of the MAC’s wider work plan. Further information about the MAC’s methodology and the reviews it has carried out are available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/migration-advisory-committee

British Nationality

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions the Government has removed British protected person status, where that person's nationality or citizenship has not been previously established, in each year since 2009-10.

Mr Robert Goodwill: I am sorry but this information is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

General Practitioners: Foreign Nationals

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December 2016 to Question 56319, whether foreign born GPs will be given priority for UK working visas.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Employers wishing to sponsor non-EEA General Practitioners must do so under the Tier 2 (General) category, which is subject to an annual limit of 20,700 places. Occupations that are currently on the Shortage Occupation List are prioritised within the limit. The arrangements which will apply to EU nationals in the UK for the purpose of work post-Brexit have yet to be determined.

Homicide

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will (a) collect comparative data on the sex, age, relationship, race and ethnicity of the perpetrator and victim of homicide, (b) collect data on any previous convictions relating to abuse or violence and (c) disaggregate that data by police force area.

Brandon Lewis: The Home Office Homicide Index contains detailed information on every homicide recorded by the police in England and Wales. The Homicide Index includes information on the age, sex and ethnicity of both victims and suspects, and the relationship between the victim and the suspect. Information is also published on how many of those convicted of homicide have a previous conviction for homicide.   Information from the Homicide Index is published annually in the Office for National Statistics publication Focus on Violent Crime and Sexual Offences. The most recent information, for 2014/15, can be found here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/compendium/focusonviolentcrimeandsexualoffences/yearendingmarch2015  Information for 2015/16 is due to be published by the ONS in February 2017.   In addition the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published, in partnership with the Home Office and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), a new statistical bulletin and data tool in relation to domestic abuse, bringing together comprehensive data on domestic abuse, including domestic homicide, at a local level.

European Arrest Warrants

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost to the police of enforcing the European Arrest Warrant in each of the last five years.

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many British nationals have been extradited from the UK to Romania in each of the last three years under the European Arrest Warrant.

Brandon Lewis: In July 2014 the Government published Command Paper 8897, which included an impact assessment for the UK opting back into the European Arrest Warrant (EAW). A copy of the Command Paper can be found at: - www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/326699/41670_Cm_8897_Print_Ready.pdf Each year the National Crime Agency publishes statistics on the number of EAWs received by the UK. These figures include a breakdown of the number of surrenders under an EAW to each participating country. These figures are published at: - www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/european-arrest-warrant-statistics

Hate Crime: Gender Recognition

Chris Elmore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce hate crime against transgender people.

Sarah Newton: We are clear hate crime of any kind has absolutely no place in our society. In July last year, we published the cross Government Hate Crime Action Plan which includes measures to tackle transgender hate crimes.  We have funded two online Hate Crime projects through the community demonstration projects fund, these are ‘Transforming the Internet’ and ‘Countering online LGBT hate and abuse'. Transforming the Internet is being developed by Stop Hate UK in partnership with Youth Cymru with the aim of enabling young transgender people to come together to create their own online narratives and support mechanisms to reduce social isolation and directly challenge the attitudes which contribute to high levels of hate crime experienced by the transgender community.   Countering online LGBT hate and abuse is being developed by Galop and aims to identify monitor and support victims to report online LGBT hate crime. There is no UK organisation specialising in monitoring and tackling online homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.   In addition we have also funded an LGBT Hate Crime schools pack developed by the Crown Prosecution Service in partnership with a number of LGBT organisations and the National Union of Teachers www.cps.gov.uk/northwest/working_with_you/hate_crime_schools_project/schools_project___lgbt_hate_crime/

British Nationality

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Government's policy is on removing British protected person status where to do so would result in a person becoming stateless.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The UK is a signatory to the 1961 UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. The principle of that Convention is that statelessness should be avoided. It seeks to prevent statelessness by prohibiting the withdrawal of citizenship from the nationals of a state when doing so would result in them becoming stateless. British nationality legislation reflects this position and therefore only makes provision for British Protected Person status to be lost automatically where a person has another nationality. It can also be removed where deprivation of citizenship would be conducive to the public good and the individual would not become stateless as a result, or if the person had obtained the status through deception.

Police: Greater London

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of police officers (a) in total and (b) aged under 25 in (i) Greater London and (ii) the London Borough of Newham are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Brandon Lewis: The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the ethnicity of the police workforce in each Police Force Area. Data are not collected at lower levels of geography, such as London Boroughs. These data are not broken down by age.The latest available data are published in the “Police Workforce, England and Wales, 31 March 2016” statistical bulletin:www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-31-march-2016 The data shows that 12.6% of police officers in the Metropolitan Police Service were from Black and Minority ethnic backgrounds, as at 31 March 2016. The data can also be found on the police.uk website:www.police.uk/metropolitan/E05000614/performance/diversity/

Police: Stun Guns

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance and training her Department recommends that police forces provide for officers on the use of tasers.

Brandon Lewis: The deployment of Conductive Energy Devices is an operational matter for Chief Officers. The College of Policing sets standards of practice and guidance, including on the use of the Taser X26, and is the professional body for those working in policing in England and Wales. The following is a link to the relevant part of the College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice: www.app.college.police.uk/app-content/armed-policing/conducted-energy-devices-taser/

Homicide: Females

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle femicide.

Brandon Lewis: The Government is committed to improving its understanding of domestic homicides in order to prevent these tragedies from happening in the first place. In April 2011, the Government placed Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) on a statutory basis to ensure local areas learn lessons from these tragic deaths. Last month the Government published the findings from a study of 40 DHRs, which identifies common themes and trends in domestic homicide and recommends how local areas can use this information to prevent domestic abuse. We have also updated the statutory guidance for the conduct of DHRs.   The Government is working with police leaders to make tackling domestic abuse a priority. A new transformational training package, Domestic Abuse Matters, has been developed and piloted in partnership with voluntary sector partners. The training delivered to frontline responders is designed to drive cultural and attitudinal change. In addition, the College of Policing have been awarded £1.9 million to develop a comprehensive package of training for new leaders in vulnerability who will coach, brief and debrief frontline officers so they are better able to identify signs of vulnerability and support victims.

Domestic Violence: Health Services

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health on provision of domestic abuse services within healthcare settings.

Sarah Newton: We work closely with the Department of Health on delivering the cross-Government Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health & Innovation attends the VAWG IMG and officials meet regularly. The Strategy commits the Department of Health to support improvements in responses of health professionals to VAWG for example through roll out of the Identification and Referral to Improve Safety programme, free online training and more firmly embedding routine enquiry into domestic abuse in maternity and mental health services.   Additionally, we have recently published our clear blueprint for local action though our new National Statement of Expectations and the Commissioning Toolkit which provides all commissioners, including local health commissioners, with a clear blueprint for what they need to do to prevent offending and support victims. This includes in-depth help and advice for implementing best practice.   These are supported by the £15 million VAWG Service Transformation fund, which health commissioners can bid into.

Domestic Violence

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what formal communications her Department has had with local authorities on the planned changes to funding arrangements for independent domestic violence advisers and multi-agency risk assessment conference coordinators from March 2017.

Sarah Newton: The Government's Violence against Women and Girls Strategy (VAWG) published in March 2016 committed increased funding of £80 million for VAWG services and announced that from April 2017 we would move from a model of direct national funding to a model of supporting community-based services through a new VAWG Service Transformation Fund. This was confirmed in writing to local areas in July 2016.   We have also set out a clear blueprint for local action though our new National Statement of Expectations (NSE) and Commissioning Toolkit, which is available to local commissioning bodies and groups. Our move to support through the VAWG Service Transformation Fund will encourage better collaboration and new, joined-up approaches between local commissioners, and with specialist VAWG service providers. This will help promote better collaboration and joint leadership, encourage new approaches incorporating early intervention, and establish and embed the best ways to help victims, survivors and their families.   We have consulted widely with the voluntary and community sector and statutory stakeholders in the development of the strategy, the NSE and the Transformation Fund and we will continue to work with the women’s sector and local areas to monitor the level of Independent Domestic Violence Advisers and Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference provision.

Domestic Violence

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications of the planned changes to funding arrangements for independent domestic violence advisers and multi-agency risk assessment conference coordinators from March 2017 on the provision of those services by local authorities.

Sarah Newton: The Government's Violence against Women and Girls Strategy (VAWG) published in March 2016 committed increased funding of £80 million for VAWG services and announced that from April 2017 we would move from a model of direct national funding to a model of supporting community-based services through a new VAWG Service Transformation Fund. This was confirmed in writing to local areas in July 2016.We have also set out a clear blueprint for local action though our new National Statement of Expectations (NSE) and Commissioning Toolkit, which is available to local commissioning bodies and groups. Our move to support through the VAWG Service Transformation Fund will encourage better collaboration and new, joined-up approaches between local commissioners, and with specialist VAWG service providers. This will help promote better collaboration and joint leadership, encourage new approaches incorporating early intervention, and establish and embed the best ways to help victims, survivors and their families.We have consulted widely with the voluntary and community sector and statutory stakeholders in the development of the strategy, the NSE and the Transformation Fund and we will continue to work with the women’s sector and local areas to monitor the level of Independent Domestic Violence Advisers and Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference provision.

Scotland Office

Trident Missiles: Testing

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions his Department has had with the (a) Prime Minister and (b) Ministry of Defence on tests on the UK nuclear deterrent in June 2016; and if he will make a statement.

David Mundell: I have regular discussions with the Prime Minster and my Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of issues.

Scotland Act 2016

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, with reference to comments in the Supreme Court's ruling in R (on the application of Miller and another) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on the purpose of the legislative recognition of the Sewel Convention in the Scotland Act 2016 being to entrench it as a convention, if his Department will examine the purpose, validity and legal effectiveness of section 2 of the Scotland Act 2016.

David Mundell: Section 2 of the Scotland Act 2016 delivers the cross-party Smith Commission Agreement by placing the Sewel Convention on a statutory footing.The UK Government’s position on the Sewel Convention has not changed since the passage of the Scotland Act 2016.

HM Treasury

Carers: Welfare Tax Credits

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, (a) how many people other than parents (i) applied for and (ii) were granted specified adult childcare credits to obtain national insurance credits as an adult carer, caring for a child under 12, in each month since 6 April 2011 and (b) how much those national insurance credits have cost in each full tax year for which that scheme has been in place.

Jane Ellison: Specified Adult Childcare Class 3 National Insurance credits were introduced in April 2011. They can be claimed from the 1st October following the end of the relevant tax year. The figures for the number of people who (i) applied for and (ii) were granted these credits are as follows: Applications Received 2012-132013-142014-152015-162016October891240153148207November271166301283December25852101 January13692102 February111174131 MarchN/A135162 April199734107 May8812038116 June186785N/A July2310816699 August6873136122 September39176118115  Applications Approved 2012-132013-142014-152015-162016October54758124124192November183147271261December1914888 January998087 February85149114 MarchN/A119138 April18652983 May76903497 June164980N/A July208115188 August5461111110 September260639698  These figures have been taken from management information systems and are not official statistics. Information on applications approved in March 2014 and June 2016 cannot be recovered from the relevant IT system. Application figures for the period October 2012 to March 2013 are not available monthly. Current spouses or partners of the person claiming child benefit for a child under 12 are not eligible for this type of credit. Former spouses or partners of the child’s parents may be eligible and will be included in these figures. When the policy was introduced in April 2011 the Department for Work and Pensions estimated that the credits would generate an annual exchequer cost of £10,000 per year.

Treasury: Sick Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many senior civil servants in his Department were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month since January 2010.

Simon Kirby: HM Treasury have reports that show sickness absence by financial year but not by month. These reports break down grade and absence reason. However, where the number of individuals covered is less than five, HM Treasury consider that to provide an exact figure, would constitute the disclosure of personal data. Personal data is exempt from disclosure under section 40(2) by virtue of section 40(3)(a)(i) of the FOI Act which is an absolute exemption. Section 40(2) exempts information from disclosure if that information constitutes personal data of someone other than the applicant, and if disclosure of that information would contravene any of the data protection principles in schedule 1 to the Data Protection Act 1998. In this case, disclosure would contravene the first data protection principle, which provides that personal data must be processed fairly and lawfully. Details of sickness absence can be found in the HM Treasury published Annual Report and Accounts:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-annual-report HM Treasury take sickness absence seriously and have put many initiatives in place to help reduce sickness absence within HM Treasury. In 2016/17 the following wellness initiatives were given priority:Reducing levels of sickness absence relating to Mental and Behavioural Disorders (including stress, depression, anxiety.) and Musculoskeletal Disorders;Increasing the usage of the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP); andIn addition HM Treasury signed up to two key external initiatives:The Public Health Responsibility Deal. Up to April 2015 the Treasury reported to the Department of Health on the activities carried out to meet the six pledges signed up to, one being that for mental health; andThe ‘Time to Change’ pledge. Following this a Mental Wellbeing Network was set up and a range of associated activities take place focusing on improving the mental wellbeing of Treasury employees.HM Treasury also support and provide reasonable adjustments for a variety of physical and mental conditions and requirements.

Treasury: Staff

Deidre  Brock: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many officials of his Department are working full-time on preparations for the UK leaving the EU; and what proportion of his Department's staff that number represents.

Simon Kirby: Staff within the longstanding International and EU group lead on providing advice to Ministers on EU Exit and Exit-related issues.Staff within other groups throughout the Treasury also provide advice or analysis on EU Exit issues as required, including policy formulation and enforcement.HM Treasury do not routinely capture information about each employee’s specific work. Given the interactions between EU Exit policy and other work, it would not be possible to give an accurate figure.

Productivity

Jim Shannon: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure continuing growth in productivity and manufacturing output in 2017.

Mr David Gauke: The government has taken policy action to support continuing growth in productivity and manufacturing by encouraging investment and boosting UK competitiveness, including committing to cutting corporation tax from 28% in 2010 to 17% by 2020 and increasing the number of apprenticeships. The Autumn Statement went further, with the National Productivity Investment Fund providing an additional £23bn of investment in Housing, Infrastructure and Research & Development. The government’s recent Green Paper ‘Building our Industrial Strategy’ set out the ten pillars for driving growth and productivity across the country, including supporting businesses to start and grow, developing skills and cultivating our world-leading sectors such as automotive manufacturing.

VAT

David Morris: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people who registered for and paid VAT in the financial year 2013-14 also paid VAT in the financial year 2014-15.

Jane Ellison: At the end of 2013-14, there were two million traders registered for VAT. Of those, it is estimated that there was a total of approximately one hundred thousand traders which first registered for and paid VAT in the financial year 2013-14 and also paid VAT in the financial year 2014-15.

Taxation: Research

Chris White: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Autumn Statement 2016, whether his Department has set a timetable to review the current tax system for research and development support.

Mr David Gauke: As announced in November 2016, the government is reviewing the tax environment for Research and Development (R&D) to look at how to make the UK an even more competitive place to do R&D. The review is due to conclude at the Spring Budget.

Business: Research

Chris White: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Autumn Statement 2016, which business sectors his Department is encouraging to raise their research and development investment.

Mr David Gauke: The government is committed to supporting innovative businesses and research across all sectors, and supporting technologies where the UK has a strong scientific and commercial advantage.At the Autumn Statement, the government announced a significant increase in public R&D spending, rising to an extra £2 billion a year by 2020-21. This will include an Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, which will support collaborations between businesses and the UK’s world-leading science base.

EU Budget: Contributions

Andrew Gwynne: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2017 to Question 60692, if he will publish his Department's forecasts on the effect on the public purse of continuing to fund the commitments the UK has made to the EU during the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

Mr David Gauke: Up until the point we leave the European Union, the UK will continue to have all of the rights, obligations and benefits that membership brings, including contributing to the EU’s annual budget, regardless of whether negotiations are ongoing during this time. The Office for Budget Responsibility is responsible for forecasting contributions to the EU. Their forecast at the time of the Autumn Statement is available in the November 2016 Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit

Dan Jarvis: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to review annually the effectiveness of the current freeze on child benefit and child tax credit.

Mr David Gauke: The Government has considered the impact on all benefits and tax credits rates that are included in the four year uprating freeze. The Government has published an impact assessment at: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/impact-assessments/IA15-006C.pdf

Public Expenditure: Scotland

Alan Brown: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of the additional infrastructure funding announced in the January 2017 green paper, Building our Industrial Strategy, is subject to Barnett consequentials; and what the value is of Barnett consequential funding allocated to Scotland as a result of that funding.

Mr David Gauke: The Barnett formula will be applied in the normal way, as allocations to UK Government departments and individual spending programmes are determined.

Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office: Staff

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many officials of his Department are working full-time on preparations for the UK leaving the EU; and what proportion of his Department's staff that number represents.

Ben Gummer: Information about officials working full-time in my Department on preparations for the UK leaving the EU is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Prime Minister: Sick Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many senior civil servants in the Office of the Prime Minister were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month since January 2010.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many senior civil servants in his Department were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month of each year since the Department's creation.

Ben Gummer: The Prime Minister’s Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office and is included in this reply.It is not possible to provide figures for the number of senior civil servants who have taken leave of absence from work in my Department due to mental illness in each month of each year since its creation. As part of the Transparency Agenda, my Department publishes quarterly statistics on sickness absence and these are available from the Cabinet Office website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-absence-data .The Cabinet Office is committed to reducing work related absence due to mental illness and has a number of services in place to support members of staff suffering from such conditions. Our Workwell community is staffed by volunteers who aim to make Cabinet Office a happy and healthy workplace through a number of interventions including a listening service for staff. We also offer a 24 hour counselling support helpline through our Employee Assistance Programme provider and advocate early referral to our occupational health service, where appropriate, for advice on a number of conditions including mental health.

Corruption

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government has made on its planned anti-corruption strategy.

Ben Gummer: The Government is committed to developing a new Anti-Corruption Strategy for the UK. Cabinet Office and Home Office are leading consultation across government and with business and civil society. The strategy will be published in due course.

Tax Avoidance

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the communique form the Anti-Corruption Summit held in London in May 2016, whether he asked the Financial Action Task Force, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes to develop initial proposals on ways to improve the implementation of the international standards on transparency, including on the availability of beneficial ownership information and its international exchange.

Ben Gummer: This Government is committed to being the most transparent in the world. The UK launched an initiative with the EU G5 for the systematic exchange of beneficial ownership information last year. Since then more than 50 jurisdictions have indicated their support for this initiative. The OECD, Global Forum and FATF have been asked by the G20 to examine how improvements can be made to improve international access to beneficial ownership information as part of the Government’s wider transparency agenda.

Anti-corruption Summit

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to follow up on the outcome of the Anti-Corruption Summit held in London in May 2016; and whether he plans to convene another such summit.

Ben Gummer: The London Anti-Corruption Summit was the first of its kind and set an ambitious agenda to expose, punish and drive out corruption. The government is now firmly focused on delivering this agenda, and has already implemented many of the commitments - including the establishment of a public central register for company beneficial ownership information.

Corruption

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 2 of the communique of the Anti-Corruption Summit in London in May 2016, what progress has been made on uncovering corruption wherever it exists and pursuing and punishing those who perpetrate, facilitate or are complicit in it.

Ben Gummer: The United Kingdom’s law enforcement response to corruption is robust, and the UK has been recognised by Transparency International (TI) as one of only four active enforcers of the OECD anti-bribery convention. Since the Summit, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has secured two corruption-related Deferred Prosecution Agreements, including against Rolls Royce. The SFO has also secured convictions of individuals on bribery and corruption charges, and has opened a number of other criminal investigations, with five trials due to be held in the next twelve months.In parallel, the National Crime Agency (NCA) continues to pursue numerous investigations into the most serious allegations of international bribery, corruption, financial sanctions evasion and associated money laundering offences. At the Summit, the NCA also committed to establishing a new International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre based in London, with the intention of it being operational by April 2017. The Centre will bring together specialist law enforcement officers from multiple foreign jurisdictions into a single location to tackle allegations of grand corruption.

Department for International Trade

UK Trade with EU

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with the UK's prospective trading partners on the UK's trading relationship with the EU after the UK has left the EU.

Mark Garnier: Ministers and officials in the Department for International Trade are working with counterparts in a range of markets to promote the UK as a great place to do business and with which to trade. The Prime Minister has made clear that we are aiming for the freest possible trade in goods and services with the EU through a new, comprehensive, bold and ambitious free trade agreement, and for Britain to be able to negotiate its own trade agreements with the rest of the world.

Trade Agreements

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many non-EU countries he has had discussions with on potential negotiations for a trade deal after the UK has left the EU.

Mark Garnier: We cannot negotiate and conclude trade agreements while we are a member of the EU, but we can have discussions on our future trading relationships. We have already announced working groups and dialogues on our future trading relationships with seven markets: Australia, China, India, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea and the Gulf Cooperation Council, which comprises six countries. As the Prime Minister has said, we want to build a truly Global Britain—a great, global, trading nation that is one of the firmest advocates for free trade anywhere in the world.

Trade Agreements

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will publish the agendas and minutes of meetings (a) he and (b) officials of his Department have held with representatives of non-EU governments on trade matters since July 2016.

Mark Garnier: The Prime Minister has set out a vision for the UK’s future as a truly Global Britain. The Government wants the UK to emerge from this period of change stronger, fairer, more united and more outward-looking than ever before.Ministers regularly meet counterparts from our trading partners to discuss the opportunities that leaving the EU presents. In the interests of maintaining strong international relations the minutes of these meetings are not released.Department for International Trade officials in over 100 countries across the world meet their counterparts from their host Governments frequently. The agendas and minutes of these many hundreds of meetings are not held centrally.

Department for International Trade: Staff

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2016 to Question 52038, on staff, what the size of the trade policy team was on 24 June 2016; and how many of those staff have had experience of negotiating trade agreements.

Mark Garnier: On 24 June 2016 the trade policy team numbered 45 civil servants. These individuals were all focused on UK trade policy in the context of providing input to the European Commission’s trade negotiations.At this stage our primary focus is on developing our policy positions, international relationships and approach to future trade negotiations. We are recruiting high quality individuals with a range of policy, negotiation and trade-specific skills and experience.

Trade Agreements

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which countries have expressed an interest in agreeing trade deals with the UK; and with which countries the Government has started discussions on future trade agreements other than those set out by the Prime Minister in her speech at Lancaster House on 17 January 2017.

Mark Garnier: I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to the hon Member for North East Fife today, UIN: 60711.

Department for International Trade: Staff

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 16 November 2016 to Question 52038, how many members of staff with previous experience of negotiating trade agreements have been recruited since 24 June 2016.

Mark Garnier: The Trade Policy group has a strong core of trade policy officials and this has quadrupled in size since 24 June and is continuing to grow. To date, recruitment has primarily been from within the Civil Service but we are now running an external recruitment campaign.At this stage our primary focus is on developing our policy positions, international relationships and approach to future trade negotiations. We are recruiting high quality individuals with a range of policy, negotiation and trade-specific skills and experience.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Flood Control: Finance

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will detail the funding for flood defences set out in the National Infrastructure Delivery Plan by NUTS 1 region.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government are investing £2.5 billion between 2015 and 2021, delivering at least 1,500 new flood defence schemes and better protecting 300,000 homes. The six year Capital Investment Programme will provide Flood Defence Grant-in-Aid as shown below for flood defence schemes by NUTS 1 regions. The nationally coordinated project investment includes capital expenditure on flood defences which are located in more than one NUTS 1 region and capitalised costs which support the development of these physical and natural defences. NUTS1 regionNUTS1 codeTotal government investment (£m) between April 2015 and March 2021East MidlandsUKF198East of EnglandUKH217Greater LondonUKI134North East UKC46North West UKD210South East UKJ510South West UKK176West Midlands UKG75Yorkshire and The HumberUKE487NATIONALLY COORDINATED PROJECT INVESTMENT 452 Note: The NUTS 1 statistical regions correspond with the regions of England as used by the UK's Office for National Statistics

Tree Planting

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that air quality standards are improved across the UK by the planting of trees.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government’s plans for tackling air quality are set out in the national air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide, which was published in December 2015 and will be revised by 31 July this year. The Government is considering the extent to which trees might be used as part of the wider mix of actions to improve air quality, which will be informed by a report from the Air Quality Expert Group.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Sick Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many senior civil servants in her Department were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month of each year since the Department's creation.

George Eustice: Since Defra was created in June 2001, there have been 39 instances covering 9 Senior Civil Servants who have taken sickness absence for mental health reasons which amounts to 535 days. However, for reasons of anonymity it is not possible to provide a monthly breakdown in the answer as the numbers are too small to report. Defra is committed to reducing work related absence due to mental illness. We have an active Wellbeing network (Break the Stigma) which shares best practice, activities and events relating to all aspects of wellbeing. Mental health has been a key priority since the network was established. Defra’s Wellbeing Advisors work closely with the network’s organisers to support events and develop group communications including a series of inspiring blogs by staff. Our Employee Assistance Provider can be contacted 24/7, 365 days a year and employees can receive up to 6 sessions of free counselling. The Charity for Civil Servants which is another superb source of support, also offers advice on a wide range of issues.

Fly-tipping and Litter

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of a reduction in local government funding on litter and fly tipping.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The provisional Local Government Finance Settlement was announced on 15 December. This is the second year of a four year settlement where local authority core spending power is set to increase from £44.5 billion in 2015-16 to £44.7 billion in 2019-20. Councils in England will receive more than £200 billion for local services over the lifetime of this Parliament. In December 2015, the Government announced that it would develop a Litter Strategy for England. We want to be ambitious: our goal is to achieve a substantial reduction in litter and littering in England, ensuring that our communities, natural landscape, roads and highways are free of litter. We are committed to tackling fly-tipping and, as set out in the Government’s manifesto, have given local councils the power to issue fixed penalty notices for small-scale fly-tipping. These new enforcement tools have been available to councils since May 2016, providing them with an alternative to prosecutions and assisting them in taking a proportionate enforcement response. This builds on previous action to tackle fly-tipping. The presence of litter or fly-tipped waste in the area can put off potential customers and investors. It will therefore be in local authorities’ interests to keep their communities consistently clean to support a thriving local economy. The Government believes that local authorities are best placed to decide how best to meet their statutory duty to keep their relevant land clear of litter and refuse, and how to prioritise this against other local services.

Fly-tipping and Litter

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce litter and fly tipping.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government is developing a Litter Strategy for England. We want to be ambitious: our goal is to achieve a substantial reduction in litter and littering in England, ensuring that our communities, natural landscape, roads and highways are free of litter. The Litter Strategy for England will focus on three key themes: education and awareness; improving enforcement; and better cleansing and litter infrastructure. These will be backed up by specific actions under each objective. We are keen to publish the Strategy as soon as we can and a great deal of work is being done to achieve this. We are committed to tackling fly-tipping and, as set out in the Government’s manifesto, have given local councils the power to issue fixed penalty notices for small-scale fly-tipping. These new enforcement tools have been available to councils since May 2016, providing them with an alternative to prosecutions and assisting them in taking a proportionate enforcement response. This builds on other Government action to tackle fly-tipping, which has included: working with the Sentencing Council on its guideline for sentencing for environmental offences; making it easier for vehicles suspected of being involved in waste crime to be stopped, searched and seized; and continuing our work with the Defra chaired National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to promote and disseminate good practice in the prevention, reporting, investigation and clearance of fly-tipped waste.

Litter

Mrs Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the total cost of clearing litter in (a) St Albans, (b) Hertfordshire, (c) the east of England and (d) England since 2010.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: We have made no specific assessment of the costs of clearing litter in these areas. Data on local government spending, including on street cleansing, which includes tackling litter, can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing. The cost of litter clearance is not recorded separately; the figures reported for spending on street cleansing also include spending on clearing fly-tipped waste and on activities which would be required even if all litter was disposed of appropriately, such as sweeping up fallen leaves or emptying public bins. We estimate the annual cost to local government of clearing litter in England runs to hundreds of millions of pounds.

Water: EU Law

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of seeking to continue to remain subject to the EU Water Framework Directive.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Prime Minister announced last year our plans for a Repeal Bill that will convert current EU law into domestic British law. Our intention is to ensure a smooth and orderly transition via the Repeal Bill. Without pre-judging what our future relationship with the EU will be or future decisions Parliament may make, this will provide as much certainty as possible by maintaining the existing laws; and this will include the laws that transpose the EU Water Framework Directive.Withdrawal from the EU will allow us to select policies that work best for the UK, including policy on sustainable water planning and management aiming to maximise the benefits that people, wildlife and the economy get from our water environment.Going forward, the 25 year environment plan framework will give us a basis on which to plan our policies and regulatory framework for the future. We will consider what aspects of our current legislative framework are fit for purpose to deliver the 25 year environment plan framework and shape our legislation accordingly.

Flood Control: Lancaster

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will place in the Library successful applications made by the Environment Agency in (a) April 2016 to July 2016 and (b) August 2016 to November 2016 relating to the Lancaster City council area.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Between April and July 2016, the Environment Agency secured Local Levy funding for the Lancaster Phase 3 scoping study. The study will enable the Environment Agency to identify options to deliver a flood defence scheme in the future. This scheme is expected to better protect at least 100 properties in the Lancaster City Council area. A copy of the initial application will be placed in the Library in due course.

Flood Control: Lancaster

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will place in the Library a copy of applications made for funding of flood defences in the Lancaster City district area made by Lancashire County Council between April and July 2016.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Between April and July 2016, Lancashire County Council has been successful in securing government Flood Defence Grant-in-Aid for the ‘Lancaster Phase 4 – Mill Race Surface Water Study’. This study will enable Lancashire County Council to identify the most appropriate and feasible options to address surface water flooding within Lancaster City Centre. A copy of the initial application will be placed in the Library in due course.

Department of Health

Infant Foods: Trading Standards

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice and support his Department provides to trading standards officers on the enforcement of the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (England) Regulations 2007.

Nicola Blackwood: Monitoring food businesses to ensure compliance with food legislation is the responsibility of local authorities. These local authorities are also responsible for taking enforcement action, including prosecutions, where non-compliance is found. The Food Standards Agency has recently established a central register of successful food law prosecutions and has not been made aware of any such prosecutions in England.

Blood: Contamination

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many applications for bereaved persons' lump sum payments related to the contaminated blood scandal have been received to date; how many of those applications have been (a) accepted and (b) rejected; and whether applications received after the 20 January 2017 deadline will be permissible.

Nicola Blackwood: To date 270 applications have been received from bereaved individuals in England and Wales. No applications have formally been rejected or accepted as the schemes are still processing the applications. The Department wants all eligible individuals to receive this payment and will ensure funding is available to make payments to those who submit applications after the deadline.

Department of Health: Sick Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many senior civil servants in his Department were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month since January 2010.

David Mowat: Since 2010, nine individual members of the senior civil service have been absent from work due to mental health reasons on ten different occasions. The specific months in which these absences occurred are not given to avoid identifying the individual officers concerned. The Department is committed to reducing work-related absence due to mental illness and has a number of services in place to support members of staff suffering from such conditions. To this end the Department: - Delivers two day Mental Health First Aid training courses in London and Leeds; and half-day Mental Health First Aid Lite courses;- Supports and promotes a network of Mental Health First Aiders;- Delivers Tackling Stress at Work courses using the Health and Safety Executive’s Management Standards framework;- Signposts staff to courses on mental health that are available through Civil Service Learning; and- Delivers an programme of events around World Mental Health Day in October, which this year included pledge boards across the Departmental estate and tea and talk sessions. The Department also provides access to an Employment Assistance Programme, which is advertised to staff via the intranet. It promotes The Charity for Civil Servants, whose services include a mental health helpline and signposts to MIND, the Samaritans and internal staff networks where staff can get help and assistance.

Health Professions: Training

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2016 to Question 55609, on health professions: training, if he will provide the same figures relating to each other provider in England.

Mr Philip Dunne: The information is not held in the format requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Blood: Contamination

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on incorporating current discretionary support payments into the new scheme for victims of contaminated blood; and if he will make a statement.

Nicola Blackwood: The new infected blood payment scheme will contain a discretionary element. The three existing discretionary schemes will remain in place until the new scheme administrator is in place later in 2017. This will ensure a smooth handover of the discretionary elements under the new scheme. Further details of the discretionary support scheme will be provided in advance of the new scheme being set up.

Diabetes: Health Education

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have received funding under the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme; and how much funding each of those CCGs received.

Nicola Blackwood: In 2016/17, NHS England funded local health economies with a total of £1,474,500 to support implementation activities and costs relating to the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NHS DPP). Health economies are partnerships of clinical commissioning groups and local authorities. NHS England has also nationally commissioned the NHS DPP behavioural interventions that are provided to local health economies.

Department of Health: Sick Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many senior civil servants in his Department were on a leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each month of each year since the Department's creation.

David Mowat: To establish the information requested back to the start of the currently-constituted Department in 1988 would incur disproportionate costs. This cost would be high because the process would require the manual retrieval and reading of archived paper files and recourse to archived but discontinued electronic storage systems. It should also be noted that older paper files may have been subject to phased destruction. The relevant information available back to 2010 is provided below: Since 2010, nine individual members of the senior civil service have been absent from work due to mental health reasons on ten different occasions. The specific months in which these absences occurred are not given to avoid identifying the individual officers concerned. The Department is committed to reducing work-related absence due to mental illness and has a number of services in place to support members of staff suffering from such conditions. To this end the Department: - Delivers two day Mental Health First Aid training courses in London and Leeds; and half-day Mental Health First Aid Lite courses;- Supports and promotes a network of Mental Health First Aiders;- Delivers Tackling Stress at Work courses using the Health and Safety Executive’s Management Standards framework;- Signposts staff to courses on mental health that are available through Civil Service Learning; and- Delivers an programme of events around World Mental Health Day in October, which this year included pledge boards across the Departmental estate and tea and talk sessions. The Department also provides access to an Employment Assistance Programme, which is advertised to staff via the intranet. It promotes The Charity for Civil Servants, whose services include a mental health helpline and signposts to MIND, the Samaritans and internal staff networks where staff can get help and assistance.

Leicester City Clinical Commissioning Group

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the budget for Leicester City Clinical Commissioning Group (a) was in 2014-15, (b) was in 2015-2016 and (c) is for the current financial year.

Mr Philip Dunne: NHS England set Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) allocations and the figures for Leicester City CCG for 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17, the current financial year, can be found on NHS England’s website, and are as set out in the following links: 2014-15 allocations:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ccg-allocation-big-table-v2.pdf 2015-16 allocations:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/annx-b-ccg-allctns.pdf 2016-17 allocations:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ccg-allocations.pdf

Cancer

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what Health Education England is required to deliver in March 2017 to satisfy the mandate for a strategic review of the cancer workforce.

David Mowat: In the 2016-17 Mandate to Health Education England (HEE), the Government tasked HEE with taking forward the relevant recommendations set out in the Independent Cancer Task Force’s report ‘Achieving World Class Cancer Outcomes: a strategy for England 2015-2020’, including to work with partners to develop a vision for the future shape and skills mix of the workforce required to deliver a modern, holistic patient-centred cancer service. The strategic review includes a baseline of the current cancer related workforce; a review of the current skills mix; and a strategy for working with Cancer Alliances and Local Workforce Action Boards to find solutions for workforce challenges as new models of service delivery emerge.

Cancer

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions Ministers of his Department have had with Health Education England on the strategic review of the cancer workforce in the last 12 months.

David Mowat: Ministers regularly meet with Health Education England (HEE) to discuss workforce matters, including the progress it has made on its commitment to deliver a workforce with the right skills and competences to deliver high-quality modern cancer services. Departmental officials also regularly meet with HEE as a member of the National Cancer Transformation Board, the group which has been tasked with overseeing the implementation of the 2015 Cancer Strategy for England.

Live Nation

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many times and on which dates (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have met with representatives of Live Nation.

David Mowat: The Ministerial team have not met with representatives of Live Nation. Information on whether officials have met Live Nation could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

MG Alba

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many times and on which dates (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have met with representatives of MG Alba.

David Mowat: The Ministerial team have not met with representatives of MG Alba. Information on whether officials have met MG Alba could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Royal Brompton Hospital

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the cost-benefit analysis on the extent of the (a) improvements in clinical outcomes and (b) unit cost reductions anticipated to result from the proposed closure of congenital heart disease services at the Royal Brompton Hospital.

Mr Philip Dunne: No decision has been made on the proposals made by NHS England in July 2016. The proposal for the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is to decommission as a level 1 provider, not to close the congenital heart disease (CHD) service. NHS England has been working with expert clinicians, patients, and Trust executives since 2013 to devise and agree a new set of standards for the treatment of CHD. The aim of these standards is to secure the best outcomes for all patients, including: - improved opportunities for survivors to lead better lives;- tackling variation in services, particularly to ensure resilient 24-hour, seven days a week care; and- improved patient experience. NHS England will be analysing the feedback from consultation to inform the NHS England Board’s decision-making later.

Naloxone

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to train NHS staff on the use and availability of Naloxone.

Nicola Blackwood: It is the responsibility of the professional regulators to set the standards and outcomes for education and training and approve training curricula to ensure newly qualified healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide high quality patient care. Information on naloxone is provided for everyone, including National Health Service staff, on Public Health England’s drug information website FRANK:http://www.talktofrank.com/emergency-help Additionally, on 1 October 2015, access to naloxone was widened and a gov.uk page, ‘Widening the availability of naloxone’, was produced to explain in ‘plain English’ what the amended regulations allow and to answer any question a service or individual may have about it. The page can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/widening-the-availability-of-naloxone/widening-the-availability-of-naloxone

HIV Infection: Drugs

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much in legal and other costs his Department has spent on (a) high court and (b) court of appeal cases related to the commissioning of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention.

Nicola Blackwood: The Department’s costs in relation to this case are not yet available.

Infectious Diseases: Drug Resistance

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether NHS England has had discussions with Dr David Brown on recent innovations to tackle superbugs.

Nicola Blackwood: NHS England has not had discussions with Dr David Brown.

Acne: Young People

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps NHS England has taken to reduce the incidence of acne in young people.

David Mowat: Acne affects most people at some point in their lives and it is most common among adolescents and young adults, affecting approximately 80% of people at some point between 11–30 years of age and usually first occurs around the age of puberty. This is thought to be triggered by increased levels testosterone in young people, which occurs during this time. More information can be found at the following link:http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/puberty/Pages/puberty-signs.aspxIncreased testosterone causes an increase in the production of sebum and the development of seborrhoea (greasy skin).The care of people with skin problems is a core competence of general practitioner training and people with acne can usually be successfully managed through routine access to primary care. Treatment of acne is well established and normally includes advice on skin hygiene routines and cleansing products. More severe acne may require a prescribed treatment such as topical retinoids or antibiotics and possibly referral for specialist assessment and treatment.To support clinicians in the diagnosis and management of acne the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has produced a clinical knowledge summary on the condition that can be found at the following link:https://cks.nice.org.uk/acne-vulgaris#!topicsummary

Cancer: Medical Treatments

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department gives to people who want their embryos frozen before the commencement of cancer treatments.

Nicola Blackwood: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline, ‘Fertility: Assessment and treatment for people with fertility problems’, published in February 2013, provides guidance on the National Health Service funded provision of fertility services in England and Wales and also practice guidance for health professionals. It recommends that, at diagnosis, the cancer care team should discuss with their patient the impact of the cancer and its treatment on the patient’s future fertility. Where treatment is planned that could impair the patient’s fertility, an early referral to a fertility specialist should be offered.

Mental Health Services

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to increase the uptake of talking therapies; and if he will make a statement.

Nicola Blackwood: It is for local commissioners to meet the needs of their local populations. However the Government’s published target is that by 2020/21, there will be increased access to psychological therapies, ensuring that at least 1.5 million of people with common mental health conditions access services each year. The increase in access to psychological therapies will be targeted. The majority of new services will be integrated with physical healthcare. As part of this expansion, 3,000 new mental health therapists will be co-located in primary care, as set out in the General Practice Forward View. Two-thirds of the additional people receiving services will have co-morbid physical and mental health conditions or persistent medically unexplained symptoms. During 2016/17 and 2017/18, a targeted group of geographies will work to develop the evidence base for implementing these new services at scale, supported by wider investment in training and infrastructure. A total of £67.7 million will be spent on six new initiatives to improve mental health care through digital innovation, including £3 million to pilot digitally-assisted Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT). This will pilot digitally assisted Cognitive Behavioural Therapy services for up to seven common conditions: depression, generalised anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder and tinnitus. Cost-effective products that pass a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence evaluation will be rolled out to the whole service. £300,000 will be used to improve mental health content on:www.nhs.uk improvements will be made to enhance the website’s role in signposting people into services such as IAPT. Since 2007 the Government has made significant investment into the IAPT programme, for example:- In the spending review period 2010/15, the IAPT programme received over £460 million of Government investment;- In 2015/16, in addition to other commissioner investment, NHS England invested £10 million on IAPT services from within their overall funding allocation;- A further £20 million has been invested nationally in this financial year, 2016/17, as set out in Implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health; and- In February 2016 a further £1 billion by 2020/21 for mental health was announced to take forward recommendations in the Mental Health Taskforce Review.

Mental Health Services: Staff

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) activity coordinators and (b) psychotherapists supporting patients in acute psychiatric wards; and if he will make a statement.

Nicola Blackwood: The number of activity coordinators and psychotherapists supporting patients in acute psychiatric wards is not held centrally. However, the latest workforce data published by NHS Digital on 25 January 2017 showed that as at October 2016 there are 4,341 full-time equivalent psychotherapists working in the National Health Service, an increase of over 2,959 since May 2010.

Mental Health Services: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the average number of acute inpatient mental health care beds available in (a) Coventry and (b) Warwickshire in each month of each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Nicola Blackwood: NHS Improvement advises that, over the last five years, there has been a strategically managed reduction in beds across Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust. NHS Improvement has further advised that stable bed occupancy rates reflect that this has been managed in a safe and controlled manner.

Cancer

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to his Department's news story of 13 September 2015, From 2020 people with suspected cancer will be diagnosed faster, what progress has been made on the Department's commitment to the roll-out of a recovery package for everyone with a cancer diagnosis by 2020.

David Mowat: The Recovery Package is being commissioned and delivered in full or in part by many clinical commissioning groups and providers across England. In December 2016 NHS England announced that a £200 million fund will be available to Cancer Alliances over the next two years to specifically support the areas the Cancer Taskforce’s strategy estimated would need additional investment, including the full roll out of the Recovery Package to all cancer patients across the country. Initial bids for funding were due on 18 January 2017. Clear guidance has been published and a regional and national panel will now assess all bids received. The funding will be signed off by the NHS England Investment Committee.

Members: Correspondence

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2017 to Question 60732, what his Department's average response time is for ministerial correspondence.

David Mowat: This information is not available. In 2016, the Department answered 91% of its ministerial correspondence within the Whitehall Standard deadline of 18 working days.

Down's Syndrome: Screening

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to mitigate regional variations in access to non-invasive prenatal testing for Down's syndrome as recommended by the National Screening Committee in November 2016.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department plans to procure non-invasive prenatal testing for Down's syndrome as recommended by the National Screening Committee in November 2016 (a) nationally and (b) regionally.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when a national tender will be issued for non-invasive prenatal testing for Down's syndrome as recommended by the National Screening Committee in November 2016.

Mr Philip Dunne: Public Health England is working with a range of partners to oversee the planned implementation of the non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) for Down’s, Patau’s and Edwards’ syndromes to ensure national standards, including national and local access to the new test, are adhered to. Public Health England is currently working through the procurement and the evaluative roll out process for NIPT for Down’s, Edwards’ and Patau’s syndromes, including the development of tender documents specification and criteria for tendering. A date of issue for these is still to be agreed. The expectation is that laboratories will be contracted to provide NIPT for Down’s, Edwards’ and Patau’s syndromes as part of the NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme evaluative roll out of NIPT during financial year 2018-19.

Soft Drinks

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal Colleges on the health effect of diet and other low calorie drinks.

Nicola Blackwood: There have been no specific discussions with the Royal Colleges on the health effect of diet and other low calorie drinks.

Mental Health Services: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health's Written Ministerial statement of 20 January 2017, Official Report, HCWS427, what the (a) names, (b) ages, (c) causes of death, (d) gender and (e) race of the 11 children who died in in-patient mental health units since 2013 were; what the recorded causes of death were; in which in-patient units they died; and under which mental health provider's care they were at the time of their death.

Nicola Blackwood: The Department does not hold this information. It is not departmental policy to publish data on individuals, in line with law and patient confidentiality.

Mental Health Services: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to ensure that there is an independent investigation whenever a child dies in an in-patient mental health unit.

Nicola Blackwood: On 13 December 2016 in his oral statement to Parliament my Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health set out a series of commitments for National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts to learn from avoidable deaths and serious incidents, in response to the Care Quality Commission’s report ‘Learning, candour and accountability’. This will complement the existing arrangements that all unexpected deaths of a child should be reviewed through procedures set out by local safeguarding children boards. The Serious Incident Framework also requires NHS providers to identify correctly, investigate thoroughly and learn from serious incidents including unexpected deaths in hospital, to prevent the likelihood of similar incidents happening again. Consideration should be given to commissioning independent investigations of serious incidents where necessary.

Mental Health Services: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2016 to Question 45295, on mental illness: children, how many children were admitted to adult in-patient mental health wards in 2015-16.

Nicola Blackwood: The information is not available in the format requested.

Members: Correspondence

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2017 to Question 60732, on members: correspondence, for what reason there was a delay in responding to letters from the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green dated (a) 7 November and (b) 14 December 2016.

David Mowat: The delay was caused by an administrative error. This has now been rectified and I have replied to the hon. Member by letter of 24 January 2017.

Department of Health: Policy

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish a report on progress against the public policy targets set out in his Department's 2015 to 2020 Delivery Plan.

David Mowat: The Department will report on progress against the targets in its Shared Delivery Plan in its Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17. This is expected to be published in July 2017.

Cancer: Surgery

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the number of cancelled operations for cancer patients in the winter of (a) 2016-17 and (b) each of the last five years.

Mr Philip Dunne: NHS England does not have any current plans to publish cancelled elective operations data by type of patient. Currently NHS England collects the number of elective operations cancelled at the ‘last minute’ for non-clinical reasons on a quarterly basis. It does not collect the total number of cancelled operations, a breakdown of the type of operations that have been cancelled, or the specific reason for the cancellation.

Influenza: Vaccination

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much on average GPs are paid for each influenza jab administered.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much on average pharmacists are paid for each influenza jab administered.

Nicola Blackwood: General practitioners are paid £9.80 for each dose of influenza vaccine that they administer to eligible patients under the General Medical Services contract 2016/17. Participating pharmacists are paid a total of £9.14 for each dose of the influenza vaccine that they administer to eligible patients under the national Influenza Adult Vaccination Service delivered through the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework for 2016/17.

Midwives: Insurance

Mr David Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the decision of the National Midwifery Council on the adequacy of the insurance arrangements of Independent Midwives UK, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that women have the ability to choose a midwife; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Government supports choice in maternity services, but this has to be a safe choice. It is therefore appropriate that registered midwives are required to have adequate indemnity insurance to cover their scope of practice.

Out-patients: Attendance

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many missed NHS appointments there were in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) England in the most recent year for which figures are available.

David Mowat: NHS England publishes did not attend (DNA) rates for outpatient appointments, by National Health Service trusts in England, the data requested is in the following table. Number of DNAs in Gloucestershire and England Q3 2015/16 to Q2 2016/17 Q3 2015/16Q4 2015/16Q1 2016/17Q2 2016/17Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust12292140124Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust7,4266,8167,6727,312England1,495,4081,455,4461,499,6891,529,544Source: Quarterly Activity Return of the Hospital Activity Dataset, NHS England

Health Services: Contracts

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library copies of all reports by NHS England on the contracting out of cancer and end-of-life care in Cambridge and in North Staffordshire.

David Mowat: A paper was presented to the NHS England Regional (Midlands and East) Executive Team meeting in November 2016. This is not in the public domain as is commercially sensitive. NHS England also advises there has been no procurement or contracting out of cancer and end-of-life care services in Cambridge.

Tobacco

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to publish the Tobacco Control Plan in (a) January 2017, (b) February 2017, (c) March 2017 and (d) later than March 2017.

Nicola Blackwood: An exact publication date for the Tobacco Control Plan has yet to be decided.

Nursing: Higher Education

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish information his Department holds from UCAS on the number of applications for undergraduate nursing degrees starting in (a) September 2017 and (b) each of the last five years.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Department does not currently hold UCAS information on the number of applications for undergraduate nursing degrees starting in September 2017. Information on the number of applications for previous years is published via UCAS end of cycle reports and subject level tables. The table below provide numbers of applications for the B7 nursing undergraduate category from 2007 onwards. Subject Group (Detailed Level)Number of Applications by Cycle Year  2007200820092010201120122013201420152016B7 - Nursing58,435103,555128,100184,615206,180212,375224,365237,990232,285234,760 The following link provides the UCAS end of cycle data and reports: https://www.ucas.com/corporate/data-and-analysis/ucas-undergraduate-releases/ucas-undergraduate-end-cycle-data-resources

Domestic Violence: Females

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on implementing the commitment in the violence against women and girls strategy March 2016 to (a) promote resources available for health and social care professionals to respond to domestic abuse, (b) increase their understanding of domestic violence and abuse and (c) increase their ability to provide a supportive response to disclosures.

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on implementing the commitment in the violence against women and girls strategy March 2016 to firmly embed routine enquiry into domestic abuse in maternity and mental health services.

Nicola Blackwood: The Department is strongly committed to improving the services for people who are victims of domestic abuse and violence. We have funded online training material and will shortly publish online an updated resource for health professionals on domestic abuse. This will include pointers to help practitioners identify potential victims, initiate sensitive routine enquiry and respond effectively to disclosures of abuse. The Department has also funded for three years the Identification and Referral to Improve Safety (IRIS) programme, which trains and supports general practitioners in asking about and responding to domestic abuse and violence. IRIS has been adopted in over 800 general practices so far. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published guidance on domestic abuse and is now considering with health professional bodies what further training and development materials might be required. The Department is currently piloting, before rolling out across England, sensitive routine enquiry about abuse in childhood and adulthood in a range of targeted services. At the same time, we are considering how routine enquiry specifically into domestic abuse could be more firmly embedded into practice in maternity and mental health services.

Women and Equalities

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Kate Green: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many legal cases the Equality and Human Rights Commission has (a) opened, (b) continued and (c) concluded in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Caroline Dinenage: The Equality and Human Rights Commission is an independent body and makes its own decisions about its legal work to enforce equality law. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive of the Commission to write to the honourable member with the information requested. I will place a copy of the letter in the libraries of both Houses.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Kate Green: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how much funding has been allocated to the Equality and Human Rights Commission to tackle hate crime since the EU referendum.

Caroline Dinenage: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has received and will continue to receive sufficient funds to enable it to fulfil its statutory functions. It is for the EHRC, as an independent body, to determine the allocation of its funding for specific areas of work.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Kate Green: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Equality and Human Rights Commission is taking to support staff who are facing compulsory redundancy to seek new roles within the civil service.

Caroline Ansell: The Equality and Human Rights Commission is an independent body and makes its own decisions about staff deployment and redundancies. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive of the Commission to write to the honourable member with the information requested. I will place a copy of the letter in the libraries of both Houses.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Kate Green: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how much funding has been allocated to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) for each year until 2020; and how much of that funding will be allocated to advertising the advisory services of the EHRC.

Caroline Dinenage: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has a budget of £20.4m for 2016-17. Budgets for the years 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 are being finalised by the Department in consultation with the EHRC, and are consistent with the spending review settlement provided to the Department. We expect to be able to confirm budgets for these years shortly. The EHRC has received sufficient funds to enable it to fulfil its statutory functions. It will continue to do so. It is for the EHRC, as an independent body, to determine the allocation of its overall funding across specific functions.